Working Paper: NBER ID: w2248
Authors: George J. Borjas
Abstract: This paper analyzes the way in which the earnings of the immigrant population may be expected to differ from the earnings of the native population because of the endogeneity of the migration decision. The conditions that determine the nature of the self -selection are derived and depend on economic and political characteristics of the sending and receiving countries. The empirical analysis shows that differences in the U.S. earnings of immigrants with the same measured skills, but from different home countries, are attributable to variations in conditions in the country of origin at the time of migration.
Keywords: immigration; earnings; self-selection; labor market; economic conditions
JEL Codes: J61; F22
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| migration decision (F22) | earnings of immigrants (K37) |
| economic and political conditions in home countries (F24) | quality of immigrants (J61) |
| quality of immigrants (J61) | earnings of immigrants (K37) |
| income distribution in home country (D31) | selection biases in immigrant quality (J61) |
| positive selection (C52) | earnings of immigrants (K37) |
| negative selection (C52) | earnings of immigrants (K37) |
| refugee sorting (F22) | earnings of immigrants (K37) |