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The Global Welfare and Poverty Effects of Rich Nation Immigration Barriers

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  • Bradford, Scott

Abstract

Most rich nations maintain very tight restrictions on immigration despite widespread opening of trade and international capital flows since World War II. This paper uses a two-region, one-sector, dynastic growth model with a continuum of skills to assess the welfare effects and poverty implications of these barriers. Such a dynamic model allows me to take account of international capital flows, as well as domestic investment, which I believe have important interactions with international migration. Similar to other global studies of migration, I find that rich nation migration barriers impose huge losses on the global economy. This paper also estimates, for the first time to my knowledge, the global poverty implications of those barriers and finds that freeing migration into rich nations would reduce global poverty by at least 40% and as much as 66%. This corroborates the conclusions drawn by others that opening rich nations to freer migration may do more to reduce poverty around the world than any other policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Bradford, Scott, 2012. "The Global Welfare and Poverty Effects of Rich Nation Immigration Barriers," Conference papers 332187, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:pugtwp:332187
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Giannetti, Mariassunta, 2003. "On the mechanics of migration decisions: skill complementarities and endogenous price differentials," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(2), pages 329-349, August.
    2. Moses, Jonathon W. & Letnes, Bjorn, 2004. "The Economic Costs to International Labor Restrictions: Revisiting the Empirical Discussion," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 32(10), pages 1609-1626, October.
    3. Michael A. Clemens, 2011. "Economics and Emigration: Trillion-Dollar Bills on the Sidewalk?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 25(3), pages 83-106, Summer.
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