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on Economics of Human Migration |
| By: | Casella, Alessandra; Cox, Adam |
| Abstract: | Temporary labor visa rules in the United States are criticized on three grounds: for failing to allocate visas efficiently, for failing to adequately protect domestic workers, and for exposing migrant workers to exploitation. We argue that it is possible to address all three problems by re-configuring the property rights associated with the visas and carefully designing the mechanism for allocating those rights. Our core insight is to unbundle the two rights that today are typically combined: the firm's right to employ a foreign worker, and the worker's right to reside and work in the country during that time. A three-pronged approach-auctioning abstract pre-contract visas to firms, allowing their trade on a secondary market, and transferring the visa's ownership to the worker upon signature of the employment contract-has the potential to improve the efficiency of visa allocation, to better shield domestic workers, and to protect foreign workers from exploitation. |
| Keywords: | immigration policy; Property rights; work visas |
| JEL: | F22 J08 J61 |
| Date: | 2017–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:12287&r=mig |
| By: | Ahimbisibwe, Frank |
| Abstract: | Uganda hosts refugees from neighboring countries including Rwanda. According to UNHCR, by the end of 2016, Uganda was the 5th and 1st top refugee hosting country in the world and Africa respectively. It hosted over 900,000 refugees. This number had increased to over 1.2 million by May 2017. In 2003, a tripartite agreement was signed to repatriate 25,000 Rwandan refugees. Only 850 refugees accepted to return and most of them came back almost immediately to Uganda claiming insecurity and human rights violations in Rwanda. Although legal principles and norms exist on voluntary repatriation, they have been violated in the case of the Rwandans’ repatriation. There exists a gap between the legal principles and the practice of repatriation. This article analyzes this discrepancy by focusing on specific legal principles of repatriation like the right to return, the principle of non-refoulement, return in safety and dignity and the ceasing of causes for flight. |
| Keywords: | Rwandan refugees; voluntary repatriation; refugee law; human rights law; Uganda; Rwanda |
| Date: | 2017–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iob:wpaper:201708&r=mig |
| By: | Ahimbisibwe, Frank |
| Abstract: | Uganda hosts refugees from neighboring countries including Rwanda. According toUNHCR, by the end of 2016, Uganda was the 5th and 1st top refugee hosting country in the world and Africa respectively. It hosted over 900,000 refugees. This number had increased to over 1.2 million by May 2017. In 2003, a tripartite agreement was signed to repatriate 25,000 Rwandan refugees. Only 850 of them accepted to return and many of them came back almost immediately to Uganda claiming insecurity and human rights violations in Rwanda. The Rwandan repatriation was not devoid of politics. It was influenced by political interests of various actors: the international community, regional geo-politics, Uganda and Rwanda. This article analyzes the politics of repatriation of Rwandan refugees by focusing on politics at international and regional levels as well as in Uganda and Rwanda. |
| Keywords: | Rwandan refugees; repatriation; politics; Uganda; Rwanda |
| Date: | 2017–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iob:wpaper:201709&r=mig |
| By: | Susanna Morrison-Métois |
| Abstract: | This working paper is a case study on Afghanistan as a refugee country of origin. The case study looks at whole-of-government efforts by OECD member countries in Afghanistan, specifically looking at how states have co-ordinated development, diplomatic and defence resources in a refugee country of origin. The case study also examines efforts by the international community to promote stability and state building objectives. The case study was undertaken as part of a wider research project on learning from evaluations to improve responses to situations of forced displacement and supports the synthesis paper "Responding to Refugee Crises in Developing Countries: What Can We Learn From Evaluations?" |
| Keywords: | 3D, conflict and fragility, corruption, diplomatic defence and development, displacement, evaluation, forced returns, ISAF, NATO, ODA, Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), refugees, stabilisation, state building, whole-of-government |
| JEL: | F51 F53 F55 I31 J61 L31 L38 O15 O19 R23 |
| Date: | 2017–09–13 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:dcdaaa:40-en&r=mig |
| By: | Susanna Morrison-Métois |
| Abstract: | This working paper is a case study on South Sudan as an important refugee country of origin. The case study looks at issues of forced displacement in South Sudan and underscores the linkages between internally displaced persons and South Sudanese refugees. The case study highlights the importance of understanding local contexts and root drivers of conflict and displacement. It reviews evaluations of programmes in South Sudan, including past efforts at state building and refugee resettlement to look at learning within the international community. The study was undertaken as part of a wider research project on learning from evaluations to improve responses to situations of forced displacement and supports the synthesis paper "Responding to Refugee Crises in Developing Countries: What Can We Learn From Evaluations?" |
| Keywords: | displacement, drivers of conflict, ethnic conflict, evaluation, famine, forced displacement, human rights abuses, IDPs, internally displaced persons, local context, refugee resettlement, refugee return, refugees, South Sudan, state building, UNMISS, voluntary returns |
| JEL: | F51 F53 F55 I31 J61 L31 L38 O15 O19 R23 |
| Date: | 2017–09–13 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:dcdaaa:39-en&r=mig |
| By: | Héloïse Ruaudel; Susanna Morrison-Métois |
| Abstract: | This working paper is a case study on Ethiopia and Uganda as countries of destination for refugees. The case study looks at the approaches adopted in Ethiopia and Uganda to promote refugee self-reliance and enable refugees to work to earn income. It compares outcomes in the countries, with a specific focus on access to employment and business creation, including legal and socio-economic barriers. The case study draws from a number of evaluations of efforts by the international community to support Ethiopian and Ugandan initiatives. The case study was undertaken as part of a wider research project on learning from evaluations to improve responses to refugee crises in developing countries and supports the synthesis paper "Responding to Refugee Crises in Developing Countries: What Can We Learn From Evaluations?" |
| Keywords: | access to labour markets, business creation, development, Ethiopia, evaluation, host countries, livelihoods, refugee crisis, refugee employment, refugee self-reliance, refugees, Uganda |
| JEL: | F51 F53 F55 I31 J61 L31 L38 O15 O19 R23 |
| Date: | 2017–09–13 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:dcdaaa:38-en&r=mig |
| By: | Héloïse Ruaudel; Susanna Morrison-Métois |
| Abstract: | Displacement is at a historic high, with over 65 million individuals currently displaced. The world is facing a refugee crisis that is unprecedented in scale. A large number of evaluations look at different aspects of programming in response to refugee crises in developing countries. This paper covers the key areas and priority topics related to forced displacement identified by the Development Assisstance Committee Temporary Working Group on Refugees and Migration. It draws from evaluation findings to highlight key lessons and recommendations for positive change going forward. Key topics covered in the paper include: lessons on bridging the gap between humanitarian and development programming; efforts to strengthen international response to protracted crises; lessons on whole-of-government approaches in refugee contexts; learning from work in urban settings; improving access to employment and quality education; new financing mechanisms for refugee crises in middle income countries; and lessons on financing in response to the Syria crisis. The paper highlights the evaluation work of DAC members and aims to help strengthen the evidence base to improve response to situations of displacement in developing countries. |
| Keywords: | Afghanistan, conflict and fragility, donors, drivers of conflict, education, evaluation, financing mechanisms, forced displacement, fragile states, funding channels, humanitarian and development nexus, Jordan, Lebanon, policy coherence, population movements, protracted displacement, refugee children, refugee crises in middle income countries, refugee crisis, refugee employment, refugees, resilience protracted crises, root causes of conflict, secondary displacement, Somalia, South Sudan, stabilisation, Syria, urban settings, whole-of-government |
| JEL: | F51 F53 F55 I31 J61 L31 L38 O15 O19 R23 |
| Date: | 2017–09–13 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:oec:dcdaaa:37-en&r=mig |
| By: | Parag Mahajan; Dean Yang |
| Abstract: | How readily do potential migrants respond to increased returns to migration? Even if origin areas become less attractive vis-à-vis migration destinations, fixed costs can prevent increased migration. We examine migration responses to hurricanes, which reduce the attractiveness of origin locations. Restricted-access U.S. Census data allows precise migration measures and analysis of more migrant-origin countries. Hurricanes increase U.S. immigration, with the effect increasing in the size of prior migrant stocks. Large migrant networks reduce fixed costs by facilitating legal immigration from hurricane-affected source countries. Hurricane-induced immigration can be fully accounted for by new legal permanent residents (“green card” holders). |
| Keywords: | Immigration, migrant networks, returns to migration, natural disasters, hurricanes |
| JEL: | F22 O15 Q54 |
| Date: | 2017–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cen:wpaper:17-50&r=mig |
| By: | Ainhoa Aparicio Fenoll; Zoe Kuehn |
| Abstract: | Two leading explanations as to why migration across European countries remains relatively limited are: (i) language barriers and (ii) lower educational attainment in Europe compared to the US. Both aspects are malleable via education policies which thus have the potential to affect migration. This paper tests whether and how (i) increasing the length of compulsory schooling and (ii) introducing foreign languages into compulsory school curricula, influence migration of ffected cohorts across European countries. We construct a novel data base that includes information on such education reforms for thirty-one countries spanning four decades. Combining this data with information on recent migration flows by cohorts, we find that an additional year of compulsory education reduces the number of migrants from affected cohorts by almost 14%. Increasing the length of compulsory schooling shifts educational attainment for a significant fraction of the population from low towards medium levels. Our findings are thus in line with the fact that in the majority of European countries medium educated individuals display lower emigration rates compared to low educated individuals. Introducing a foreign language into compulsory school curricula on the other hand, almost doubles the number of migrants from affected cohorts who move to the country where the language is spoken, and it increases the overall number of migrants from these cohorts by 23%. |
| Keywords: | migration, compulsory schooling, foreign language proficiency, education |
| Date: | 2016 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cca:wchild:42&r=mig |
| By: | Mustafizur Rahman; Md. Zafar Sadique; Estiaque Bari |
| Abstract: | Migration, and the consequent remittance flows, have wide-ranging implications for Bangladesh, particularly in terms of employment generation, foreign exchange reserves and balance of payments, household expenditure, savings and investment, and in general, for the overall development of the country’s economy. However, issues of financial inclusion and social protection of Bangladesh’s migrant workers have continued to remain relatively unaddressed over the past years. This paper examines cross-country experiences covering three areas: (a) reduction of cost of sending remittances; (b) deployment of financial instruments to harness savings of migrant workers; and (c) social protection schemes to secure and safeguard the interests of migrant workers. The paper undertakes a review of the regulatory mechanisms, measures and schemes in place in Bangladesh in the aforesaid three areas; and by drawing on global best practices and experiences, comes up with a number of recommendations to address the relevant challenges. The paper recommends how modern technology could help reduce transaction costs and innovative financial instruments could be deployed to harness savings of migrant workers. The paper also proposes a number of measures towards better social protection of migrant workers in both host countries and in Bangladesh. |
| Keywords: | Bangladesh, Migrant workers, Social protection, Financial Inclusion |
| Date: | 2016–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pdb:opaper:112&r=mig |
| By: | Rosa Sanchis-Guarner (Imperial College Business School) |
| Abstract: | An inflow of immigrants into a region impacts house prices in three ways. For a fixed level of local population, housing demand rises due to the increase in foreign-born population. In addition, immigrants can influence native location decisions and induce additional shifts in demand. Finally, changes in housing supply conditions can in turn affect prices. Existing reduced form estimates of the effect of immigration on house prices capture the sum of all these effects. In this paper I propose a methodology to identify the different channels driving the total effect. I show that, conditional on supply, total changes in housing demand can be decomposed into the sum of direct immigrant demand and indirect demand changes from relocated population. The size and sign of the indirect demand effect depends on the impact of immigration on native mobility. I use Spanish data during the period 2001-2012 to estimate the different elements of the decomposition, applying an instrumental variables strategy to obtain consistent coefficients. The results show that overlooking the impact of immigration on native location induces a sizeable difference between the total and the immigrant demand effects, affecting the interpretation of the estimates. |
| Keywords: | Immigration, Housing, Spain, Instrumental Variables |
| JEL: | J61 R12 R21 |
| Date: | 2017–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:crm:wpaper:1706&r=mig |
| By: | S. H. Ayhan; K. Gatskova; H. Lehmann |
| Abstract: | This paper provides evidence on the impacts of non-cognitive skills and attitudes towards risk on the decision to migrate from rural to urban areas. Our analysis is based on a unique four-wave panel of Ukrainian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey for the period between 2003 and 2012. Adopting the Five Factor Model of personality structure, and using it in the evaluation of non-cognitive skills, our results suggest that such personality traits as openness to new experience and the willingness to take risks increase the probability of migration. On the other hand, the non-cognitive skills conscientiousness and extraversion are found to be negatively associated with the propensity to migrate. The effects are statistically and quantitatively significant, and mainly driven by movements from rural areas into cities. Our results are robust to several sensitivity checks, including tests for reverse causality. |
| JEL: | J61 D03 D81 R23 |
| Date: | 2017–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bol:bodewp:wp1106&r=mig |