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Welfare Migration

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  • Giulietti, Corrado

    (University of Southampton)

  • Wahba, Jackline

    (University of Southampton)

Abstract

This chapter reviews and discusses major theories and empirical studies about the welfare magnet hypothesis, i.e. whether immigrants are more likely to move to countries with generous welfare systems. Although economic theory predicts that welfare generosity affects the number, composition and location of immigrants, the empirical evidence is rather mixed. We offer possible explanations for the existence of such mixed evidence and highlight that the literature so far has overlooked the presence of different migration regimes, as well as the possibility of reverse causality between welfare spending and immigration.

Suggested Citation

  • Giulietti, Corrado & Wahba, Jackline, 2012. "Welfare Migration," IZA Discussion Papers 6450, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp6450
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Skupnik, Christoph, 2013. ""Welfare magnetism" in the EU-15? Why the EU enlargement did not start a race to the bottom of welfare states," Discussion Papers 2013/8, Free University Berlin, School of Business & Economics.
    2. Alm, James & Enami, Ali, 2017. "Do government subsidies to low-income individuals affect interstate migration? Evidence from the Massachusetts Health Care Reform," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 119-131.
    3. Paweł Kaczmarczyk, 2013. "Are immigrants a burden for the state budget? Review paper," RSCAS Working Papers 2013/79, European University Institute.
    4. Giuseppe Bertola & John Driffill & Harold James & Hans-Werner Sinn & Jan-Egbert Sturm & Ákos Valentinyi, 2015. "Chapter 4:Migration in the European Union: Too much of a goodthing?," EEAG Report on the European Economy, CESifo, vol. 0, pages 78-96, February.
    5. Zaiceva, A. & Zimmermann, K.F., 2016. "Migration and the Demographic Shift," Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, in: Piggott, John & Woodland, Alan (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 119-177, Elsevier.
    6. Ian Preston, 2014. "The Effect of Immigration on Public Finances," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 124(580), pages 569-592, November.
    7. Zimmermann, Klaus F., 2013. "The Mobility Challenge for Growth and Integration in Europe," IZA Policy Papers 69, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Zimmermann, Klaus F., 2018. "Social Cohesion and Labor Mobility," GLO Discussion Paper Series 249, Global Labor Organization (GLO).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    welfare spending; immigration;

    JEL classification:

    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy

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