Arbeitspapier

Self-Selection of Emigrants: Theory and Evidence on Stochastic Dominance in Observable and Unobservable Characteristics

We show that the Roy model has more precise predictions about the self-selection of migrants than previously realized. The same conditions that have been shown to result in positive or negative selection in terms of expected earnings also imply a stochastic dominance relationship between the earnings distributions of migrants and non-migrants. We use the Danish full population administrative data to test the predictions. We find strong evidence of positive self-selection of emigrants in terms of pre-emigration earnings: the income distribution for the migrants almost stochastically dominates the distribution for the non-migrants. This result is not driven by immigration policies in destination countries. Decomposing the self-selection in total earnings into self-selection in observable characteristics and self-selection in unobservable characteristics reveals that unobserved abilities play the dominant role.

Sprache
Englisch

Erschienen in
Series: CReAM Discussion Paper Series ; No. 15/15

Klassifikation
Wirtschaft
International Migration
Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
Thema
International Migration
Roy model
Self selection

Ereignis
Geistige Schöpfung
(wer)
Borjas, George J.
Kauppinen, Ilpo
Poutvaara, Panu
Ereignis
Veröffentlichung
(wer)
Centre for Research & Analysis of Migration (CReAM), Department of Economics, University College London
(wo)
London
(wann)
2015

Letzte Aktualisierung
10.03.2025, 11:43 MEZ

Datenpartner

Dieses Objekt wird bereitgestellt von:
ZBW - Deutsche Zentralbibliothek für Wirtschaftswissenschaften - Leibniz-Informationszentrum Wirtschaft. Bei Fragen zum Objekt wenden Sie sich bitte an den Datenpartner.

Objekttyp

  • Arbeitspapier

Beteiligte

  • Borjas, George J.
  • Kauppinen, Ilpo
  • Poutvaara, Panu
  • Centre for Research & Analysis of Migration (CReAM), Department of Economics, University College London

Entstanden

  • 2015

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