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

Borjas, George J.; Kauppinen, Ilpo and Poutvaara, Panu (2019): SELF-SELECTION OF EMIGRANTS: THEORY AND EVIDENCE ON STOCHASTIC DOMINANCE IN OBSERVABLE AND UNOBSERVABLE CHARACTERISTICS. In: Economic Journal, Vol. 129, No. 617: pp. 143-171

Abstract

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.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Economics
• Subjects: 300 Social sciences > 330 Economics
• ISSN: 0013-0133
• Language: English