IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/eecrev/v158y2023ics0014292123001733.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Immigration, household production, and native women’s labor market outcomes: A survey of a global phenomenon

Author

Listed:
  • Cortés, Patricia

Abstract

Most of the literature on how immigration affects the labor market focuses on the outcomes of natives in direct competition with immigrants. This paper reviews a growing literature on an alternative channel. Immigrants, particularly low-skilled women, are disproportionately represented in the household services sector, a global phenomenon that is seen to some extent in most regions. A simple time-use model suggests that by lowering the price of market-provided household services, immigrant workers allow high-skilled native women to reduce their unpaid household production and increase their participation in the labor market. I review existing evidence that the presence of foreign domestic workers has increased the labor supply of high-skilled native women, has helped narrow the gender earnings gap in high-paying powered occupations, and that these advances have not come at the cost of native women investing less time in their children or having lower birth rates. I discuss the policy implications of these results, as well as some ethical considerations.

Suggested Citation

  • Cortés, Patricia, 2023. "Immigration, household production, and native women’s labor market outcomes: A survey of a global phenomenon," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:158:y:2023:i:c:s0014292123001733
    DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2023.104545
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014292123001733
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.euroecorev.2023.104545?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Francisca M. Antman, 2013. "The impact of migration on family left behind," Chapters, in: Amelie F. Constant & Klaus F. Zimmermann (ed.), International Handbook on the Economics of Migration, chapter 16, pages 293-308, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Sari Pekkala Kerr & William R. Kerr, 2011. "Economic Impacts of Immigration: A Survey," Finnish Economic Papers, Finnish Economic Association, vol. 24(1), pages 1-32, Spring.
    3. Patricia Cortés & José Tessada, 2011. "Low-Skilled Immigration and the Labor Supply of Highly Skilled Women," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 3(3), pages 88-123, July.
    4. Farré Lidia & González Libertad & Ortega Francesc, 2011. "Immigration, Family Responsibilities and the Labor Supply of Skilled Native Women," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 11(1), pages 1-48, June.
    5. Emanuele Forlani & Elisabetta Lodigiani & Concetta Mendolicchio, 2015. "Impact of Low-Skilled Immigration on Female Labour Supply," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 117(2), pages 452-492, April.
    6. Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes & Almudena Sevilla, 2014. "Low-Skilled Immigration and Parenting Investments of College-Educated Mothers in the United States: Evidence from Time-Use Data," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 49(3), pages 509-539.
    7. Francine D. Blau & Lawrence M. Kahn, 2017. "The Gender Wage Gap: Extent, Trends, and Explanations," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 55(3), pages 789-865, September.
    8. Dean Yang, 2008. "International Migration, Remittances and Household Investment: Evidence from Philippine Migrants’ Exchange Rate Shocks," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 118(528), pages 591-630, April.
    9. Hiller, Tatiana & Rodríguez Chatruc, Marisol, 2020. "South-South Migration and Female Labor Supply in the Dominican Republic," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 10472, Inter-American Development Bank.
    10. Adams Jr., Richard H. & Cuecuecha, Alfredo, 2010. "Remittances, Household Expenditure and Investment in Guatemala," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(11), pages 1626-1641, November.
    11. Claudia Goldin, 2014. "A Grand Gender Convergence: Its Last Chapter," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 104(4), pages 1091-1119, April.
    12. Julian Pedrazzi & Leonardo Peñaloza-Pacheco, 2023. "Heterogeneous Effects of Forced Migration on the Female Labor Market: The Venezuelan Exodus in Colombia," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 59(3), pages 324-341, March.
    13. Patricia Cortés & Jessica Pan, 2019. "When Time Binds: Substitutes for Household Production, Returns to Working Long Hours, and the Skilled Gender Wage Gap," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 37(2), pages 351-398.
    14. David McKenzie & Hillel Rapoport, 2011. "Can migration reduce educational attainment? Evidence from Mexico," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 24(4), pages 1331-1358, October.
    15. Edo, Anthony & Toubal, Farid, 2017. "Immigration and the gender wage gap," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 196-214.
    16. Delia Furtado, 2016. "Fertility Responses of High-Skilled Native Women to Immigrant Inflows," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(1), pages 27-53, February.
    17. Saul Lach, 2007. "Immigration and Prices," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 115(4), pages 548-587, August.
    18. Tatiana Hiller & Marisol Rodríguez Chatruc, 2023. "South–south migration and female labor supply in the Dominican Republic," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 23(2), pages 419-448.
    19. Alejandra Cox Edwards & Manuelita Ureta, 2003. "International Migration, Remittances, and Schooling: Evidence from El Salvador," NBER Working Papers 9766, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    20. Agnese Romiti, 2018. "The Effects of Immigration on Household Services, Labour Supply and Fertility," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 80(4), pages 843-869, August.
    21. Edwards, Alejandra Cox & Ureta, Manuelita, 2003. "International migration, remittances, and schooling: evidence from El Salvador," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 429-461, December.
    22. Patricia Cortés & Jessica Pan, 2013. "Outsourcing Household Production: Foreign Domestic Workers and Native Labor Supply in Hong Kong," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 31(2), pages 327-371.
    23. Barone, Guglielmo & Mocetti, Sauro, 2011. "With a little help from abroad: The effect of low-skilled immigration on the female labour supply," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(5), pages 664-675, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Amaia Palencia-Esteban, 2022. "Immigration, childcare and gender differences in the Spanish labor market," Working Papers 610, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    2. Jeenat Binta Jabbar, 2022. "Effects of parental migration on the education of left-behind children," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 33(1), pages 309-350, July.
    3. Dustmann, Christian & Glitz, Albrecht, 2011. "Migration and Education," Handbook of the Economics of Education, in: Erik Hanushek & Stephen Machin & Ludger Woessmann (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Education, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 0, pages 327-439, Elsevier.
    4. Emanuele Forlani & Elisabetta Lodigiani & Concetta Mendolicchio, 2021. "Natives and migrants in home production: the case of Germany," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1275-1307, December.
    5. Michael A. Clemens & Timothy N. Ogden, 2020. "Migration and household finances: How a different framing can improve thinking about migration," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 38(1), pages 3-27, January.
    6. Cortes, Patricia, 2015. "The Feminization of International Migration and its Effects on the Children Left Behind: Evidence from the Philippines," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 62-78.
    7. Michael Clemens and Timothy N. Ogden, 2014. "Migration as a Strategy for Household Finance: A Research Agenda on Remittances, Payments, and Development- Working Paper 354," Working Papers 354, Center for Global Development.
    8. Nakamura, Nobuyuki & Suzuki, Aya, 2023. "Impact of foreign domestic workers on the fertility decision of households: evidence from Hong Kong," Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 89(1), pages 105-135, March.
    9. repec:thr:techub:10033:y:2022:i:1:p:309-350 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Zhang, Hongliang & Behrman, Jere R. & Fan, C. Simon & Wei, Xiangdong & Zhang, Junsen, 2014. "Does parental absence reduce cognitive achievements? Evidence from rural China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 181-195.
    11. Delia Furtado, 2015. "Immigrant labor and work-family decisions of native-born women," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 139-139, April.
    12. Julian Pedrazzi & Leonardo Peñaloza-Pacheco, 2021. "Heterogeneous Effects of Forced Migration on Female Labor Supply," CEDLAS, Working Papers 0274, CEDLAS, Universidad Nacional de La Plata.
    13. Pfeiffer, Friedhelm, 2014. "The Impact of Parents Migration on the Well-being of Children Left Behind: Initial Evidence from Romania," IZA Discussion Papers 8225, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. Randazzo, Teresa & Pavanello, Filippo & De Cian, Enrica, 2023. "Adaptation to climate change: Air-conditioning and the role of remittances," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    15. Borjas, George J. & Edo, Anthony, 2021. "Gender, Selection into Employment, and the Wage Impact of Immigration," IZA Discussion Papers 14261, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    16. R.D. Mariani & F. C. Rosati, 2022. "Immigrant supply of marketable child care and native fertility in Italy," JODE - Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 88(4), pages 503-533, December.
    17. Delia Furtado, 2016. "Fertility Responses of High-Skilled Native Women to Immigrant Inflows," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(1), pages 27-53, February.
    18. Delia Furtado, 2015. "Can immigrants help women “have it all”? Immigrant labor and women’s joint fertility and labor supply decisions," IZA Journal of Migration and Development, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 4(1), pages 1-19, December.
    19. Jamal Bouoiyour & Amal Miftah, 2015. "The impact of remittances on household investments in children's human capital: Evidence from Morocco," Working papers of CATT hal-01880327, HAL.
    20. Jamal Bouoiyour & Amal Miftah, 2015. "The impact of remittances on household investments in children's human capital: Evidence from Morocco," Working Papers hal-01880327, HAL.
    21. Gröger, André, 2021. "Easy come, easy go? Economic shocks, labor migration and the family left behind," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:158:y:2023:i:c:s0014292123001733. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/eer .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.