Introduction: Increased globalization and interconnectedness have led to greater student mobility, making it crucial to understand the factors influencing students' decisions to migrate for educational or professional opportunities. This research aimed to investigate the correlational interplay between life satisfaction, tolerance for ambiguity, perfectionism, and demographic characteristics in predicting students’ migration intention.
Methods: The research employed a descriptive correlational design. The population comprised all students enrolled at Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch in 2023. A convenience sample of 260 students was selected. Data were collected using the Migration Intention Questionnaire, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Ambiguity Tolerance Scale, and Positive and Negative Perfectionism Scale. Additionally, students' gender and income were examined as demographic characteristics. For data analysis, point-biserial correlation and discriminant analysis were utilized.
Results: The findings revealed a significant negative correlation between life satisfaction and migration intention, and a significant positive correlation between tolerance for ambiguity and migration intention (P<0.001). A significant positive correlation was also observed between positive perfectionism and migration intention. Income was also positively and significantly associated with migration intention (P<0.001). Furthermore, discriminant analysis identified only life satisfaction and income as significant predictors of migration intention (P<0.001). No significant relationships were found between negative perfectionism and migration intention, or between gender and migration intention.
Conclusion: The study found that life satisfaction and income are significant predictors of students' migration intention, while tolerance for ambiguity and positive perfectionism also play a role. However, negative perfectionism and gender were not found to be significant factors in predicting migration intention.