World Bank2014-08-192014-08-192006-06https://hdl.handle.net/10986/19457Remittances have played an important role as one of the drivers of Tajikistan's robust economic growth during the past several years. The volume of official remittances has significantly increased since 2001 and now represent close to 12 percent of GDP (2004). Remittances have become the most important source of external financing for the balance of payments, have increased incomes, and as a result helped reduce poverty. Recognizing their importance, the Tajikistan authorities have sought to sustain remittance flows. However, anecdotal evidence indicates that migrants are not sufficiently integrated into the Tajikistan financial system, much less that of the destination countries (e.g. Russia). This Policy Note has two main objectives: (1) to expand knowledge of the size of remittances, their sending mechanisms (especially through formal channels), and their use; and (2) to propose policy recommendations to enhance the development impact of remittances. The report is organized into six sections, including an Introduction. The sections provide background on migration and remittances related to Tajikistan; discuss the estimation of remittance size and data issues; examine the transfer channels of remittances (their cost, access, and speed), their use, and the impact of remittances by highlighting impediments to the efficiency of remittance transfer services through formal channels, examining the use of remittances by recipient households in Tajikistan, and identifying impacts of remittances on the economy; and drawing some of the key lessons learned from the international experience that could be considered in the Tajik context. The final section recommends policies to enhance the development impact of remittances taking into account the Tajik context and identifies topics for further research.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOACCOUNT TRANSFERACCOUNTINGAGRICULTUREASYLUMBALANCE OF PAYMENTBALANCE OF PAYMENTSBANK ACCOUNTSBANK TRANSFERSBANKING SYSTEMBASIC NEEDSBUSINESS CYCLESCASH INCOMECASH TRANSFERCASH-TO-CASHCENTRAL ASIANCENTRAL BANKCENTRAL BANKSCITIESCITIZENSCIVIL WARCOLLECTIVE REMITTANCESCOMMERCIAL BANKSCOMPENSATION OF EMPLOYEESCOMPETITIVENESSCURRENT ACCOUNT BALANCEDEMOGRAPHIC FACTORSDEPOSITSDEVELOPING COUNTRIESDEVELOPMENT IMPACT OF REMITTANCESDEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVESDEVELOPMENTAL IMPACTDISSEMINATIONECONOMIC GROWTHECONOMIC SITUATIONECONOMIC TRANSITIONEMIGRATIONEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIESEXCHANGE RATEEXPORTSFAMILIESFINANCIAL FLOWSFINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIESFINANCIAL PRODUCTSFINANCIAL SECTORFINANCIAL SERVICESFOREIGN BANKSFOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTFOREIGN WORKERSGDPHOME COUNTRYHOST COUNTRIESHOUSEHOLD INCOMEHUMAN CAPITALINCOME EFFECTINCOME INEQUALITYINCOMESINDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTSINFORMAL CHANNELSINFORMAL TRANSFERSINFORMATION DISSEMINATIONINSTITUTIONAL CAPACITYINTERNATIONAL MIGRATIONINTERNATIONAL POLICYINTERNATIONAL REMITTANCESLABOR FORCELABOR MARKETLABOR MIGRANTSLATIN AMERICANLEGAL MIGRATIONLEGAL STATUSLIVING STANDARDSLOW BIRTH RATEMARKET ECONOMYMEDIAMICROFINANCEMIDDLE EASTMIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIESMIGRANTMIGRANT TRANSFERSMIGRANT WORKERSMIGRANT-SENDING COUNTRIESMIGRANTSMIGRATIONMIGRATION DATAMIGRATION FLOWSMIGRATION POLICIESMIGRATION STATISTICSMODERNIZATIONMONETARY POLICYMONEY GRAMMONEY ORDERSMONEY TRANSFERMONEY TRANSFER OPERATORSMONEY TRANSFER SYSTEMMONEY TRANSFER SYSTEMSMONEY TRANSFERSNET TRANSFERNORTH AFRICANOW ACCOUNTSOFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCEOFFICIAL REMITTANCEOFFICIAL REMITTANCE TRANSFERSPERSONAL REMITTANCESPOPULATION STUDIESPOVERTY ALLEVIATIONPOVERTY REDUCTIONPUBLIC INFORMATIONPUBLIC POLICYRECIPIENT COUNTRIESRECIPIENT HOUSEHOLDSRECIPIENTS OF REMITTANCESREMITTANCEREMITTANCE FLOWSREMITTANCE INFLOWSREMITTANCE RECEIPTSREMITTANCE RECIPIENTSREMITTANCE SERVICESREMITTANCE TRANSFERREMITTANCE USEREMITTANCESREMITTANCES REMITTANCESRURAL AREASSAFETY NETSAVINGSSECONDARY EDUCATIONSEND MONEYSEND REMITTANCESSKILLED WORKERSSMALL BUSINESSSOCIAL SERVICESOUTH ASIANTECHNICAL EDUCATIONTRADE BALANCETRADE DEFICITTRANSFER CHANNELSTRANSFER COSTSTRANSFER FEESTRANSFER METHODTRANSFER METHODSTRANSFER OF REMITTANCESTRANSFER SERVICESTRANSPORTUNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTSUNEMPLOYMENTUNEMPLOYMENT RATEUNSKILLED WORKERSUSES OF REMITTANCESVOCATIONAL TRAININGVULNERABILITYWAGESWARWIRE TRANSFERWIRE TRANSFERSWORK PERMITSWORKING POPULATIONWORLD POPULATIONWORLD POPULATION DATA10.1596/19457