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Life Out of the Shadows: Impacts of Amnesties in the Lives of Migrants

Author

Listed:
  • Ibanez, Ana Maria

    (Inter-American Development Bank)

  • Moya, Andres

    (Universidad de los Andes)

  • Ortega, María Adelaida

    (University of California, Davis)

  • Rozo, Sandra V.

    (World Bank)

  • Urbina, Maria José

    (World Bank)

Abstract

This paper examines the effects of a government regularization program offered to half a million Venezuelan refugees in Colombia. For this purpose, 2,232 surveys of refugee families were collected and used to compare refugees who arrived in Colombia around a specified eligibility date in 2018. We find that program beneficiaries experienced improvements in consumption (60 percent), income (31 percent), physical and mental health (1.8 sd), registration rates in the system that assesses vulnerability and awards public transfers (40 pp), and financial services (64.3 pp), relative to other refugees. The program also induced a change in labor formalization of 10 pp.

Suggested Citation

  • Ibanez, Ana Maria & Moya, Andres & Ortega, María Adelaida & Rozo, Sandra V. & Urbina, Maria José, 2022. "Life Out of the Shadows: Impacts of Amnesties in the Lives of Migrants," IZA Discussion Papers 15049, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp15049
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Amuedo-Dorantes, Catalina & Ibanez, Ana Maria & Rozo, Sandra V. & Traettino, Salvador, 2023. "More Benefits, Fewer Children: How Regularization Affects Immigrant Fertility," IZA Discussion Papers 16170, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Lebow, Jeremy, 2024. "Immigration and occupational downgrading in Colombia," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    3. Chatruc,Marisol Rodriguez & Rozo Villarraga,Sandra Viviana, 2022. "Discrimination Toward Migrants During Crises," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10091, The World Bank.
    4. Dávalos, María Eugenia & Ardila Vargas, Luz Karine & Garcia-Suaza, Andres, 2023. "Barriers to the Integration of Venezuelan Migrants and Refugees in Colombia," Documentos de Trabajo 20822, Universidad del Rosario.
    5. Salvador Traettino, 2022. "Migración forzada y finanzas públicas locales: Evidencia de los municipios en Colombia," Documentos CEDE 20335, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    migration; refugees; amnesties; Latin America;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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