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Should countries auction immigrant visas?

Author

Listed:
  • Madeline Zavodny

    (Agnes Scott College, USA, and IZA, Germany)

Abstract

Many immigrant destination countries face considerable pressure to change their immigration policies. One of the most innovative policies is auctioning the right to immigrate or to hire a foreign worker to the highest bidders. Visa auctions would be more efficient than current ways of allocating visas, could boost the economic contribution of immigration to the destination country, and would increase government revenues. However, visa auctions might weaken the importance of family ties in the migration process and create concerns about fairness and accessibility. No country has yet auctioned visas.

Suggested Citation

  • Madeline Zavodny, 2015. "Should countries auction immigrant visas?," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 202-202, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izawol:journl:y:2015:n:202
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fernández-Huertas Moraga, Jesús & Rapoport, Hillel, 2014. "Tradable immigration quotas," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 94-108.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    auction; visas; immigrants;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy

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