Structural Pressures and Purposeful Planning for Migration: A Qualitative Exploration Among High School Students in Yazd

Abstract
In recent years, migration has emerged as a major concern among adolescents, gaining new meaning and direction among students as an individual path toward a desirable future. This study aims to explore the planning process of students regarding migration. Conducted with a qualitative approach and grounded theory methodology, the research utilized in-depth semi-structured interviews for data collection. Using purposive and theoretical sampling, 25 high school students from Yazd, who were actively considering migration, were selected as participants. The data were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding. The main categories extracted include economic instability, fear of career failure, anti-elite policies, the erosion of aspirations, and development of language skills, initial financial actions, and navigating the application process. According to the findings, students perceive migration as part of their future plans and are taking practical and goal-oriented steps such as improving language proficiency, increasing awareness about destination countries, researching migration pathways, and enhancing personal capabilities. These efforts reflect not only the emergence of a migratory identity among adolescents but also indicate that their decisions are shaped and directed within the context of specific, experienced structural conditions. 
Keywords: Migration, Students, Planning, Migration Identity, Yazd City.
 
1. Introduction
Goal-oriented planning refers to a process in which individuals, based on an evaluation of resources, barriers, opportunities, and personal goals, gradually design and pursue actions to achieve a specific objective. Among adolescents, this planning and decision-making process is shaped by various factors, including the family environment, the education system, economic and social conditions, and exposure to media and social networks. In recent years, there has been a growing trend of migration among adolescents and young adults, as many view migration as a path toward academic, professional, and social advancement. This phenomenon is driven by factors such as bleak economic prospects, social inequality, job insecurity, restricted personal freedoms, and limited opportunities for growth. Studies have shown that adolescents growing up in contexts with constrained resources and uncertain futures are more likely to consider migration as an alternative means of achieving their goals.
For some students, the idea of migrating from Iran for education and a better life emerges as a cherished dream from childhood and adolescence. This indicates the emergence of a migration-oriented culture in which Iran is perceived to have lost its appeal for retaining its youth. Based on the first author’s field observations as a high school teacher, some students initiate purposeful preparations for migration and take planned steps toward realizing this goal. Given the critical role of youth in providing human capital and sustaining national development, this study seeks to address a central research question: How does the process of migration-oriented action develop among high school students?
 
2. Materials and Methods
To gain a deep understanding of how migration identities are formed and migration plans are developed among students, and to explore their lived experiences, this study adopted a qualitative approach using grounded theory methodology. The systematic grounded theory approach by Strauss and Corbin was selected for its ability to uncover meaningful social processes and participant actions. The study population comprised upper secondary school students in Yazd who expressed a desire and intent to migrate. Purposeful and then theoretical sampling was employed to maximize diversity and richness in the data. In total, 25 students from three grade levels and various academic disciplines (including humanities and arts) across schools in different urban contexts participated.
Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, each lasting between 40 and 180 minutes. These interviews used open-ended, flexible questions to explore students’ experiences, attitudes, and actions related to migration. Interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached—when no new dimensions emerged from additional data. Data analysis proceeded through open, axial, and selective coding. Open coding involved identifying initial concepts from the data; axial coding examined relationships among categories; and selective coding led to the formation of the core category, “being on the path”. which organized all other categories. To enhance data credibility, strategies such as member checking, triangulation with field notes, and data validation were employed.
 
3. Data
Through detailed, line-by-line analysis of interview transcripts, a set of concepts, subcategories, and main categories emerged, culminating in the formation of the core category: being on the path. This core concept was developed from 12 main categories, 36 subcategories, and 167 concepts, including economic instability, job failure anxiety, anti-elite policies, wasted aspirations, language skill development, initial financial steps, and application-related actions.
These categories reflect concrete actions taken in preparation for migration—particularly for accumulating cultural capital and improving one’s social position in the destination country. Such actions demonstrate individual agency in navigating structural constraints and turning aspirations into action.
 
4. Discussion
Participants in this study engage in various efforts to expedite the migration process. These include learning and mastering foreign languages and increasing academic engagement. Many work to improve their grades, build strong academic and professional resumes, and pursue opportunities to apply to foreign universities. They also prepare for the complexities of the migration process. In parallel, they pursue income-generating activities to finance migration costs—efforts that are consistent with findings by Ghamarian et al. (2020), Hosseinpour et al. (2020), and Giffin (2023). These strategies reflect comprehensive and deliberate efforts to achieve migration and improve life conditions.
For these students, migration is not an impulsive or emotional act—it is a calculated pursuit. Given the selective nature of migration, only those who build strong qualifications (e.g., language proficiency, academic, artistic, and athletic achievements) meet the criteria for being “migration-ready.” From Lary Sjaastad’s rational choice perspective, migration is seen as a calculated decision made based on personal capacities. One key factor is financial planning: migrants compare living costs in the destination with potential savings at home. Accordingly, the students in this study pursue income-generating opportunities—even in specialized areas such as teaching or translation—to rationally plan their migration and minimize financial hardship by achieving self-sufficiency.
 
5. Conclusion
Recent studies confirm that migration and brain drain in Iran are not new phenomena. However, the increasing prevalence of migration-related mindsets—particularly among adolescents—has added new layers of complexity. Alarmingly, the emergence of migration aspirations among younger age groups remains under examined. This study explored the construction of migration-related actions among 25 upper secondary students in Yazd and analyzed their role in migration decision-making. The findings are presented in the form of a theoretical framework.
The theoretical schema highlights how broader socio-economic structures shape migration agency among students. Occupational failures, an inefficient economic system, entrenched inequalities, and crushed ambitions drive students toward active migration efforts rather than passivity. As their migration identities become stronger, they view migration as a pathway to escape local limitations and pursue their ideal life-worlds. This transformation reflects a shift from hope in domestic futures to a search for better opportunities abroad.
Given students’ internal construction of the migration path, we recommend targeted interventions that can help reconstruct their future outlooks. Creating opportunities for goal realization and a sense of purpose within the country, reducing feelings of marginalization by the educational and economic systems, and enhancing perceptions of individual efficacy in the local context could provide realistic alternatives to migration.