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Labor Mobility of Immigrants: Training, Experience, Language and Opportunities

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Author Info
Cohen, Sarit (Bar-Ilan University)
Eckstein, Zvi () (Tel Aviv University, University of Minnesota, CEPR and IZA Bonn)

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Abstract

This paper analyzes the labor mobility and human capital accumulation of male immigrants who moved from the former Soviet Union to Israel. We formulate an estimable dynamic choice model for employment and training in blue and white-collar occupations, where the labor market randomly offered opportunities are affected by past choices. The estimated model well fits the observed patterns of the fast decrease in unemployment as immigrants first find blue-collar jobs and attend training, followed by a gradual movement to white-collar occupations. The estimated rates of return to local training, local experience and local language are very high, but imported skills have zero (conditional) return. Furthermore, the welfare gain from the impact of training on job offer probabilities is larger than it’s effect on wages. Due to low job offer rates, the realized rate of return from white-collar training is relatively low and takes time. As a result, the annual aggregate wage growth, due to the availability of training programs, increases with time in Israel to 1.4 percent in the fifth year.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 519.

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Length: 53 pages
Date of creation: Jun 2002
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Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp519

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Related research
Keywords: immigration; occupation; training; unemployment; transitions; welfare;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, and Vacancies - - - Public Policy

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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  5. Borjas, George J, 1985. "Assimilation, Changes in Cohort Quality, and the Earnings of Immigrants," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 3(4), pages 463-89, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  11. LaLonde, Robert J, 1995. "The Promise of Public Sector-Sponsored Training Programs," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 9(2), pages 149-68, Spring. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  14. Borjas, George J., 1999. "The economic analysis of immigration," Handbook of Labor Economics, in: O. Ashenfelter & D. Card (ed.), Handbook of Labor Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 28, pages 1697-1760 Elsevier. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Christian Belzil, 2006. "The Return to Schooling in Structural Dynamic Models: A Survey," IZA Discussion Papers 2370, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Yashiv, Eran, 2003. "Self-Selection of Migrant Workers: Migration Premium and (no) Returns to Skills," CEPR Discussion Papers 4156, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Bellemare, Charles, 2004. "A Life-Cycle Model of Outmigration and Economic Assimilation of Immigrants in Germany," IZA Discussion Papers 1012, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Murat G. Kirdar, 2005. "Return Migration and Saving Behavior of Foreign Workers in Germany," ERC Working Papers 0506, ERC - Economic Research Center, Middle East Technical University, revised Nov 2005. [Downloadable!]
  5. Eran Yashiv, 2004. "The Self Selection of Migrant Workers Revisited," CEP Discussion Papers dp0655, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  6. Amin, Mohammad & Mattoo, Aaditya, 2005. "Does temporary migration have to be permanent?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3582, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  7. Eckstein, Zvi & Weiss, Yoram, 2003. "On the Wage Growth of Immigrants: Israel, 1990-2000," IZA Discussion Papers 710, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  8. Cohen-Goldner, Sarit & Eckstein, Zvi, 2004. "Estimating the Return to Training and Occupational Experience: The Case of Female Immigrants," IZA Discussion Papers 1225, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  9. DeVoretz, Don J. & Hinte, Holger & Werner, Christiane, 2002. "How Much Language is Enough? Some Immigrant Language Lessons from Canada and Germany," IZA Discussion Papers 555, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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