Remittance Flows and Their Use in Households: A Comparative Study of Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Philippines

International migrant remittances have stimulated considerable interest as a development resource. This paper looks closely at the household-level dynamics of remittance flows and remittance usage, recognizing that the key actors in the remittances story are migrants and their households. Data are drawn from household surveys, focus groups and interviews with remittance recipients and returnees in three countries with substantial remittance inflows: Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The paper describes variations and patterns in migrant destination and work, remitting behavior, and the use of remittances in households, with attention to their larger implications.