SELF-SELECTION OF EMIGRANTS: THEORY AND EVIDENCE ON STOCHASTIC DOMINANCE IN OBSERVABLE AND UNOBSERVABLE CHARACTERISTICS

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Borjas, George J.; Kauppinen, Ilpo; Poutvaara, Panu
• 署名单位: Harvard University; National Bureau of Economic Research; IZA Institute Labor Economics; VATT Institute for Economic Research; Leibniz Association; Ifo Institut; University of Munich; Leibniz Association; Ifo Institut
• 刊物名称: ECONOMIC JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0013-0133
• DOI: 10.1111/ecoj.12585
• 发表日期: 2019
• 页码: 143-171
• 关键词: international migration; immigration; wages; institutions

摘要

The Roy model has more precise predictions about the self-selection of migrants than previously realised. The conditions 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 test these predictions using the Danish full population administrative data. We find strong evidence of positive self-selection of emigrants in terms of pre-emigration earnings and residual earnings: the income distribution for the migrants almost stochastically dominates the distribution for the non-migrants. Decomposing the self-selection in total earnings reveals that unobserved abilities play the dominant role.