Research brief
Migration cost survey among Indonesian plantation workers in Malaysia
The International Labour Organization (ILO) commissioned a quantitative migration cost survey among Indonesian plantation workers in Malaysia with data collection from November 2018 to April 2019. The survey gathered data on migrant workers’ profiles, financing of migration costs, migration cost components, remittance practices, working conditions, recruitment processes, as well as wages earned and incomes before coming to Malaysia. The study shed light on what factors influence migration costs. This survey was guided by the ILO’s 2019 General Principles and Operational Guidelines for Fair Recruitment and Definition of Recruitment Fees and Related Costs and builds on previous KNOMAD studies.
The survey gathered data on migrant workers’ profiles, financing of migration costs, migration cost components, remittance practices, working conditions, recruitment processes, as well as wages earned and incomes before coming to Malaysia. The study shed light on what factors influence migration costs.
Findings of this study are indicative and cannot be generalized to the entire migrant population for the plantation sector in Malaysia. A mix of quota sampling, convenience sampling and snowballing methods were used. Probabilistic sampling techniques were not employed due to
difficulties in accessing a representative sampling frame and the circumstances of the migrant population who are not easily accessed. Sampling was based on sector (plantation worker), nationality (Indonesian), age (18-50 years old) and length of stay for the current migration to Malaysia (five years and less). Workers’ legal status was not a sampling criterion, and thus both documented and undocumented workers were included in the sample.
Findings of this study are indicative and cannot be generalized to the entire migrant population for the plantation sector in Malaysia. A mix of quota sampling, convenience sampling and snowballing methods were used. Probabilistic sampling techniques were not employed due to
difficulties in accessing a representative sampling frame and the circumstances of the migrant population who are not easily accessed. Sampling was based on sector (plantation worker), nationality (Indonesian), age (18-50 years old) and length of stay for the current migration to Malaysia (five years and less). Workers’ legal status was not a sampling criterion, and thus both documented and undocumented workers were included in the sample.