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Do Migrants Send Remittances as a Way of Self-Insurance?

Author

Listed:
  • Catia Batista
  • Janis Umblijs

Abstract

How do risk preferences affect migrant remittance behaviour? Examination of this relationship has only begun to be explored. Using a tailored representative survey of 1500 immigrants in the Greater Dublin Area, Ireland, we find a positive and significant relationship between risk aversion and migrant remittances. Risk-averse individuals are more likely to send remittances home and are, on average, likely to remit a higher amount, after controlling for a broad range of individual and group characteristics. The evidence we obtain is consistent with a “purchase of self-insurance” motive to remit in that we also find support for more remittances being sent by risk-averse immigrants who face higher wage risks and to individuals with more financial resources. JEL codes: D81, F22, F24, J15, J61

Suggested Citation

  • Catia Batista & Janis Umblijs, 2014. "Do Migrants Send Remittances as a Way of Self-Insurance?," Nova SBE Working Paper Series novaf:wp1402, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Nova School of Business and Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:unl:unlfep:novaf:wp1402
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Zhan, Crystal & Deole, Sumit, 2022. "Economic Preferences and the Self-selection of Immigrants," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1156, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    2. Christian Dustmann & Joseph-Simon Görlach, 2016. "The Economics of Temporary Migrations," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 54(1), pages 98-136, March.
    3. Loxha Arbëresha, 2019. "Do Remittances reduce poverty in Kosovo? - A counterfactual analysis," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 14(2), pages 117-132, December.
    4. Deole, Sumit S. & Rieger, Marc Oliver, 2022. "Immigrant-native gap in risk and time preferences in Germany: Levels, socio-economic determinants, and recent changes," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1055, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    5. Farai Jena, 2016. "The remittance behaviour of Kenyan sibling migrants," IZA Journal of Migration and Development, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 5(1), pages 1-19, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Migration; Risk Aversion; Remittances; Self-Insurance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • F24 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Remittances
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

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