Migration Aspirations among Kyrgyzstan’s Youth: Analysis of Micro, Meso, and Macro level Factors

This study examines how micro-, meso-, and macro-level factors influence the migration aspirations of youth in Kyrgyzstan, using the aspiration/ability model as a guiding framework. Data were collected online from secondary school and college students across Kyrgyzstan in the aftermath of the COVID -19 pandemic. Following data cleansing, responses from 598 participants were subjected to quantitative analysis, employing Pearson chi-square tests for correlation, and nested ordered logit regression models. The results indicate that at the micro-level, both age and educational attainment are strong predictors of migration intentions. At the meso level, family support emerges as a crucial determinant, whereas at the macro level, there is a generally positive perception of migration among the youth. Finally, macro-level factors were found to be more influential than micro- and meso-level factors.