Distortions in the International Migrant Labor Market : Evidence from Filipino Migration and Wage Responses to Destination Country Economic Shocks

• Tác giả: Caroline Theoharides
• Ngôn ngữ: eng
• Ký hiệu phân loại: 331.62 Immigrants and aliens
• Thông tin xuất bản: American Economic Association, 2014
• Bộ sưu tập: Tài liệu truy cập mở
• ID: 297673
• Chủ đề: 1. international migration; 2. public policy; 3. wage differentials; 4. wage level and structure; 5. wages, compensation, and labor costs

Tóm tắt

We use an original panel dataset of migrant departures from the Philippines to identify the responsiveness of migrant numbers and wages to GDP shocks in destination countries. We find a large, significant response of migrant numbers to GDP shocks at destination, but no significant wage response. This is consistent with binding minimum wages for migrant labor. This result implies that labor market imperfections that make international migration attractive also make migrant flows more sensitive to global business cycles. Difference-in-differences analysis of a minimum wage change for maids confirms that minimum wages bind and demand is price sensitive without these distortions.