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

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  • 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
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