Do Birds of a Nest Flock Together? A Study of Home Provinces and Migration Paths among Filipina Domestic Workers in Hong Kong

There is strong evidence that migration is networked. However, it is unclear whether having the same province of origin can also lead to similar migratory paths. This study investigates the question of whether a shared home province among Filipina migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong is associated with shared or linked migration paths to Hong Kong. Using a unique data source, the 2017 Survey of Migrant Domestic Workers in Hong Kong, we employed sequence analysis to identify which specific provinces exhibit stronger linkages between migratory trajectories among migrants from the same provinces and if so, whether certain provincial characteristics matter. The study found that provinces with a lower population density and a greater number of cities tend to have a higher degree of shared migration paths among women from the same provinces. More importantly, the analysis provides convincing evidence that the presence of a hometown/home province association makes it more likely for migrant domestic workers to share similar migration pathways to Hong Kong. Furthermore, provinces with direct, one-step migration paths show a higher degree of linkage compared to those with multinational migration paths with multiple intermediate destinations. These findings provide insights into the provincial factors influencing linked migratory life courses among Filipina migrant domestic workers. The research contributes to a better understanding of the dynamics of migration and the interconnectedness of domestic workers’ migration paths.