Network Migration and its Determinants: The Study of Emigration Flows from East- Azerbaijan Province to Tehran Province

The intensity of emigration from East-Azerbaijan province to Tehran Province and immigrant's cluster staying has caused this article to focus on this migratory flow with network approach. By using the survey and focus groups methods, as well as the conceptual framework of migrant social networks, three migratory flows, that is, networks, herd and pushing are separated from each other that around three-quarters of it is formed of a network flow. The maximum cluster movement of the population of East- Azerbaijan Province to Tehran Province occurred in 1980's and 1990's, of whic network emigration from Sarab, Miyaneh and Hashtrood to Robat-Karim, Shahriyar and Islamshahr has been the most important inter-township migration flows. Besides origin township and its level of development, variables such as migration period, marital status, level of education, employment and financial situation of immigrant at the time of migration, are effective in distinguishing different types of migrations. In conclusion, the weaker the migrants in the social and economic characteristics are from their counterparts, the more they resorts to network migration; and this shows the importance of immigrant's lack of funding and lack of information on directing them towards network migration very well.