Are migrants and their families happier after migration?

By comparing migrants to matched potential migrants with similarcharacteristics of their country of origin using Gallup World Poll data, itis estimated that migrants worldwide assess the quality of their lives onaverage 9% more positive after migration. They also experience appro-ximately 5% more positive emotions and 7% less negative emotions dueto migration. Most of these happiness gains are experienced within thefirst five years after migration. Families left behind generally evaluatetheir lives more positively, but frequently experience more negativeemotions