Potential Net Migration Could Change Nations (Singapore is the place most people want to migrate to)

Gallup ^ | 11/6/2009 | Neli Esipova, Rajesh Srinivasan, and Julie Ray

[SeekAndFind]

If all the adults worldwide who Gallup surveys show would like to migrate actually picked up and moved where they wanted, Gallup's Potential Net Migration Index (PNMI) suggests many developed countries could be overwhelmed and many developing countries could sit relatively empty.

The Potential Net Migration Index is the estimated number of adults who would like to move permanently out of a country subtracted from the estimated number who would like to move into it, as a proportion of the total adult population. The results are based on nationally representative surveys of more than 260,000 adults worldwide. The higher the resulting positive PNMI value, the larger the potential net adult population gain. In Turkey, for example, subtracting the estimated 7 million adults who would like to move abroad from the 2 million adults who would like to move to Turkey and dividing that number by the total adult population (52 million) results in a PNMI value of -10%.

Across the 135 countries surveyed between 2007 and 2009, Singapore posts the highest Potential Net Migration Index of all countries and areas, with a net migration index value of +260%. Saudi Arabia (+180%), New Zealand (+175%), Canada (+170%), and Australia (+145%) round out the top five.

Interestingly, the United States, which is the top desired destination among all potential migrants, does not make the top five in terms of potential net population growth. The United States' net migration value of +60% places it farther down the list, after Canada and several other developed nations that dominate the top of the list. One important caveat to consider, however, is that the population size of a destination country is related to its ranking.

Developing countries, in contrast, dominate the bottom of the list.

[SeekAndFind]

[DRey]

Perhaps we’ve been approaching this whole “campaign contribution” thing the wrong way. Maybe we should be buying one-way airline tickets to Singapore For every Californian?

[cripplecreek]

So can we send some boats to Mexico?

[2banana]

Saudi Arabia +180% and El Salvador -50%.

By what insanity????

In one country I can be an infidel dog and get beheaded by even looking at a native mulsim woman/drinking a beer and another where I can be a rock star and buy beer for about $1 a bottle...

[bigbob]

I suspect a lot of those wanting to move to Singapore might not relish some of the strict governmental control over virtually all aspects of life there.

[eclecticEel]

~75% of the world’s countries have negative PNMI numbers. I guess the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence.

[SeekAndFind]

One man’s heaven can be another man’s hell.

I have a strong suspicion that a large survey of Gallup was taken in the Muslim world.

[SeekAndFind]

I suspect a lot of those wanting to move to Singapore might not relish some of the strict governmental control over virtually all aspects of life there.

Many people in the world don't think like us. A lot will be willing to trade some amount of freedom for great stability and order. Singapore provides that with almost no corruption.

[Zhang Fei]

This chart is worthless. It ranks countries based on the % increase in population if all who wanted to move there actually did. Of course the developed countries with the smallest populations rank at the top. Singapore has a total population of 4.5m. If 11.7m people want to move there, the population goes up 260%. If the same 11.7m people want to move to the US (304m pop), the population goes up 3.8%. In reality, the number of people who want to come to the US is 182m people, or over 15x the number who want to move to Singapore.

[married21]

I’d go. My Singaporean acquaintances say it’s very nice, although too hot and humid.

[DRey]

You’d love how “friendly” they are over there.

[SeekAndFind]

Did you ask your acquaintances why they call Singapore a “fine” place ?

[max americana]

>I suspect a lot of those wanting to move to Singapore might not relish some of the strict governmental control over virtually all aspects of life there.

Yessir. I visited there years ago with a now ex-GF who’s from there and the stories she told were more draconian. I had to search the web about those “legendary” govt rules just to be objective. The streets are damn clean though. I like my Asian destination dirty, gritty and cosmopolitan like Manila.

[Zhang Fei]

Saudi Arabia +180% and El Salvador -50%. By what insanity???? In one country I can be an infidel dog and get beheaded by even looking at a native mulsim woman/drinking a beer and another where I can be a rock star and buy beer for about $1 a bottle...

The subheader added by the Freerepublic poster is wrong. The chart talks about the potential impact on the populations of the destination countries if everyone who wanted to migrate there actually did. The most popular country remains the US. The 260% refers to the impact on Singapore's 4.7m population if the 11m odd people who wanted in actually showed up. The 60% US number refers to the US population's increase if the 180m odd people who wanted in were admitted.

[TornadoAlley3]

*

[married21]

Are you alluding to the fines they impose for things like dropping chewing gum on the sidewalk?

You know, I live in a place where people scrawl obscenities on kids playground equipment, and do all kinds of other crude, noisy, trashy, dangerous stuff. Even the trivial stuff, like the jeans that sag below the underwear line, can accumulate to where the environment is just demoralizing.

I’m not buying a plane ticket tomorrow, but surely you can understand why somebody would get really fed up with the vulgar side of American life and be a little wistful for a place where people had higher standards.

[nomad]

In a Libertarian sense,which is still the freest?

[Vigilanteman]

I've been to Singapore on business numerous times. I find the people to be pleasant, with few exceptions, even the street vendors who want to sell you something. Tell them "no, thanks" and they leave you alone or tell you to have a nice day. In Hong Kong, Seoul and much of the rest of Asia, they don't take the hint.

I could live with the restrictions on litter, gum and smoking because I'm not the type of person who thinks the world is my trash can.

[Carry_Okie]

Interesting that Switzerland is not on the list.

[SeekAndFind]

Are you alluding to the fines they impose for things like dropping chewing gum on the sidewalk?

Yes, you got it. A fine here, a fine there for failing to do this and that and pretty soon you're really adding up the money. I had an Australian friend who went to the public toilet and after peeing, forgot to flush. He was actually caught by the pee police who was merciful enough to consider him a foreigner and let him go with just a harsh warning about public sanitation ( had he been a native Singaporean, it would have been a $30 fine ).

What gets to me is the fact that they have officers spying on you even in public toilets !! How'd you like to live in a big brother city like that ?