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Abstract Temporary labour migration has rarely been studied at macro level despite its high prevalence in India. Drawing from the recently available Indian National Sample Survey (2007–08), this paper aims to study the basic differentials between temporary and permanent labour migration at the national level and examines the socioeconomic determinants of temporary labour migration at the state level. The study shows that temporary migration is seven times larger than permanent migration, and is largely a rural phenomenon dominated by rural to urban migration. A regional pattern in temporary labour migration is evident in the low-income Central and North Indian states. Low economic, educational and social status significantly induces temporary labour migration in contrast to permanent labour migration. As such, temporary labour migration appears to be a survival strategy of the rural poor in India. Keywords: temporary labour migrationmonthly per capita expenditurecaste categoriessurvival strategy ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS An earlier version of the paper was presented at International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP) Seminar on Internal Migration and Urbanization and their Socioeconomic Impacts in Developing Countries: Challenges and Policy Responses held in Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China, December 10–12, 2011. The authors are thankful to Prof. Yu Zhu (Fujian Normal University) and the other participants for their comments and suggestions. Thanks are due also to the two anonymous referees and editor for their helpful comments in revising this paper. The first author would also like to acknowledge the input from Dr. Rajesh Kumar Chauhan and Kirti Gaur in improving this paper. Notes 1. Employment related reasons: In search of employment, in search of better employment, business, to take up employment/better employment, transfer of service/contract, proximity of work.
Keshri et al. (Wed,) studied this question.