This study investigates the socia-economic and demographic causes and consequences ofrnirregular migration of young adults/rom southern Elh iopia down to the Republic a/Sollth Aji-ica. It isrna cross-sectional study based on sample survey of 690 households with 658 eligible young adults agedrn15 10 54 years belonging 10 three migrant categories in relation to migration status of South Africa,rnnamely out migrants (226), return migrants (193) and non-migrants (239). The study is conducted inrnfour randomly selected woredas and then households from two zones of the SNNPR-KembataTembarornand Hadiya- befween February to May, 2010.rnData sources include questionnaire, key informant interviews, focused group discussions asrnwell as administrative records both af local and national levels. The dala are analyzed usingrndescription, hi-variate and multi-variate slalislical techniques. Logistic regress ion model is alsornemployed in assessing (he relationship between migration status and age, sex, marital stalus,rneducation, employment, occupation and income, residence, birth order, ethnicity and religion.rnThe major findings of Ihis sfudy are: [he irregular migration down to RSA is enormouslyrndominated by lIlales (over 80%) and adults of age between 20-34 (57%). It is also fo und that thernmajority of migrants ' childhood residence is rural (73%) and 28% of the sampled migrants are firstrnborn child. Moreover, the study showed the presence of non-linear relationship between householdrnsize and migration status. Highest percentages of migrants (95%) are literate and this is dominatedrnby those having secondGlY education. It is also found that the movement of young adults fromrnsouthern Ethiopia to RSA is facilitated by a network of human smugglers found in Addis Ababa,rnHossana, Dilla and Nairobi. The main cause for the irregular movement of adults is found 10 be nolrnabsolute but relative poverty and 44% of them left their homeland for reasons of perceived betterrnopportunilies in RSA, and only 8.5% o/the ciled poverty as llie main cause.rnThe multivariate analysis showed that sex, age, education slallls and birth order havingrnSignificant impacl on the youth to migrate or nol while household s ize. place of childhood residence,rnzone, marital and employment slatus as well as religion found to have no significant impact. As to thernconsequences, th e study showed that most of return migrants (58%) are unemployed before th eirrnmovements to RSA bill now over 92% of them are employed. The study also showed that the majorityrnof returnees are earning high income now than before. and also more than [har of non-migrants. Onrnthe other hand, highest proportions of smuggled migrants reporled that their journeys were harshrnwith unexpected negative consequences. They also noted of robbery and theft while they were in RSA.rnThe study concludes by suggesting some p olicy recommendations for intervention in handling thernirregular movement of youth as Veil as the need for detailed research.rnKey Words: Youth, Migratiou, Smuggling, Hossana, Opportunities, RSA