Increasingly, with globalisation, the people of
the world are on the move; and most of these
migrants are seeking a happier life. But do they
achieve it? That is the central issue considered
in this 2018 World Happiness Report.
But what if they do? The migrants are not the
only people affected by their decision to move.
Two other major groups of people are affected
by migration:
• those left behind in the area of origin, and
• those already living in the area of destination.
This chapter assesses the happiness consequences
of migration for all three groups. We shall do this
separately, first for rural-urban migration within
countries, and then for international migration.