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To the New World and Back Again: Return Migrants in the Age of Mass Migration

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  • Ran Abramitzky
  • Leah Boustan
  • Katherine Eriksson

Abstract

The authors compile large data sets from Norwegian and US historical censuses to study return migration during the Age of Mass Migration (1850–1913). Norwegian immigrants who returned to Norway held lower-paid occupations than did Norwegian immigrants who stayed in the United States, both before and after their first transatlantic migration, suggesting they were negatively selected from the migrant pool. Upon returning to Norway, return migrants held higher-paid occupations relative to Norwegians who never moved, despite hailing from poorer backgrounds. These patterns suggest that despite being negatively selected, return migrants had been able to accumulate savings and could improve their economic circumstances once they returned home.

Suggested Citation

  • Ran Abramitzky & Leah Boustan & Katherine Eriksson, 2019. "To the New World and Back Again: Return Migrants in the Age of Mass Migration," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 72(2), pages 300-322, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:72:y:2019:i:2:p:300-322
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. David Escamilla-Guerrero, 2020. "Revisiting Mexican migration in the Age of Mass Migration: New evidence from individual border crossings," Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(4), pages 207-225, October.
    2. Lee, Jongkwan & Peri, Giovanni & Yasenov, Vasil, 2019. "The Labor Market Effects of Mexican Repatriations: Longitudinal Evidence from the 1930s," IZA Discussion Papers 12689, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Fernihough, Alan & Ó Gráda, Cormac, 2019. "Across the sea to Ireland: Return Atlantic migration before the First World War," QUCEH Working Paper Series 2019-08, Queen's University Belfast, Queen's University Centre for Economic History.
    4. Ran Abramitzky & Leah Platt Boustan & Katherine Eriksson & James J. Feigenbaum & Santiago Pérez, 2019. "Automated Linking of Historical Data," NBER Working Papers 25825, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Marina Gindelsky, 2019. "Testing the acculturation of the 1.5 generation in the United States: Is there a “critical” age of migration?," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 31-65, March.
    6. Karen Clay & Ethan J. Schmick & Werner Troesken, 2020. "Changes in Black-White Inequality: Evidence from the Boll Weevil," NBER Working Papers 27101, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. David Escamilla-Guerrero, 2019. "Revisiting Mexican migration in the Age of Mass Migration. New evidence from individual border crossings," Oxford Economic and Social History Working Papers _173, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    immigration; immigration and labor markets; migration; immigrants; employment effects of migration/immigration;

    JEL classification:

    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • N31 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913

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