DETERMINANTS OF THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY IMMIGRANTS FOR PARENTS LEFT IN THE HOME COUNTRY - CASE STUDY OF GERMANY

The authors try to determine the factors affecting the decisions taken by immigrants about the financial support provided for elder parents left in the home country. Using survey data for Germany, one of the major destination countries of labour emigration, the authors compare the willingness showed by various groups of immigrants to help their parents. The highest willingness to do so is observed among the first-born daughters, independent on their nationality. Immigrants from Romania, Kazakhstan and Russia tend to be most inclined to support financially their parents while immigrants from other EU-15 countries rather avoid to offer such support; in case of Polish immigrants, this effect is not significant statistically. Among religious groups, the most willing to assist their parents are the Orthodox immigrants while for Protestants, this effect is negative and statistically significant.