Ethnic Minorities’ Migration Trends in Central Highland

Migration of ethnic minorities in Central Highland region is a big concern of the policymakers as well as the social researchers. Based on the analysis of data from two Vietnam internal migration surveys taken in 2004 and 2015, the Central Highland had been a destination area for a majority of ethnic minorities’ rural-rural migrants. The study shows that the size of voluntary migrants came to the Central Highland region is strongly decreasing over the last five years. In contrast, there appeared an increasing group of voluntary migrants come out from the Central Highland to other regions, especially the North-East, looking for a job, income-earning for their households. The number of rural-urban migrants is increasing while the number of rural-rural migrants is decreasing among the ethnic minorities’ migrants. The share of temporary migrants is becoming dominant over the permanent ones in both in- and out-migration in the Central Highland region. The main purpose of the movement is seeking a job, income earning. By analyzing the existing data sets, it shows a significant impact of migrants’ education on their decision of movement. The study results may contribute to estimate the migration trend and serve as evidence for the ethnic minorities’ policymaking on the period from now to 2030.