Skilled migrants typically contribute to the welfare state more than they draw in benefits from it. The opposite holds for unskilled migrants. This suggests that a host country is likely to boost (respectively, curtail) its welfare system when absorbing high-skill (respectively, low-skill) migration. In this paper we first examine this hypothesis in a politico-economic setup. We then confront the prediction of the theory with evidence. In doing so, we reckon with an endogeneity problem that arise because the skill composition of migration is itself affected by the generosity of the welfare state.
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Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number
7185.
Find related papers by JEL classification: F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration H10 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - General
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