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Asylum migration in OECD countries: In search of lost well-being

Author

Listed:
  • Jordi Paniagua

    (University of Valencia (Spain))

  • Jesús Peiró-Palomino

    (University of Valencia (Spain) and INTECO)

  • Andrés J. Picazo-Tadeo

    (University of Valencia (Spain) and INTECO)

Abstract

Alongside the economic determinants and unobserved structural forces that drive migration flows, asylum migration faces additional natural and man-made hazards, which fall in the broad category of well-being. This paper estimates the effect of a composite well-being indicator on asylum migration flows with a structural grav- ity equation. The paper starts by augmenting the gravity model to explain asylum flow with country-pair relative well-being, relocation costs and multilateral resistance. Taking the OECD Better Life Index as a starting point, we then combine Data Envel- opment Analysis and Multi-Criteria-Decision-Making to construct a multidimensional well-being indicator that groups 23 raw indicators into a single composite indicator with 10 consistently comparable dimensions across countries. Then, using a panel of bilateral asylum flows in OECD countries, we are able to obtain theoretically-grounded and consistent estimates. Results reveal that the composite indicator of well-being has a significant effect, although only certain dimensions of well-being act as push and pull factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Jordi Paniagua & Jesús Peiró-Palomino & Andrés J. Picazo-Tadeo, 2020. "Asylum migration in OECD countries: In search of lost well-being," Working Papers 2008, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.
    • Handle: RePEc:eec:wpaper:2008
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    Cited by:

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    2. Robert Szydło & Sylwia Wiśniewska & Małgorzata Ćwiek, 2020. "Multidimensional Inventory of Students Quality of Life—MIS-QOL," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-18, December.
    3. Paniagua, Jordi & Peiró-Palomino, Jesús & Santana-Gallego, María, 2022. "Does happiness drive tourism decisions?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    asylum-seekers; well-being; composite indicator; gravity equation; multi- lateral resistance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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