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Job dissatisfaction and migration: evidence from Tajikistan

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  • Ilhom Abdulloev

    (Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation - Tajikistan
    Research Fellow, IZA Institute of Labor Economics)

Abstract

Having a family member migrant reduces not only the labor force participation but also the job satisfaction of those left behind. Migrants’ relatives build their expectations on earnings from migration through received information on the wage distribution in the destination country either from the size of remittances or directly from migrants. If their expected earnings from migration greatly exceed their current wages in the source country, migrant relatives become more dissatisfied with their jobs. Using a simple economic model of job satisfaction and applying both parametric and semiparametric estimations to Tajikistan’s data, as well as with controlling for an endogeneity issue with the variable of interest, we estimate the significantly positive effect of the difference of the expected outside country earnings and current earnings of migrants’ relatives on their job dissatisfaction. A larger gap between what an individual could earn in the migration destination country and what she receives now at her current job in the source country makes that individual unhappier.

Suggested Citation

  • Ilhom Abdulloev, 2018. "Job dissatisfaction and migration: evidence from Tajikistan," IZA Journal of Migration and Development, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 8(1), pages 1-27, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:izamig:v:8:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1186_s40176-018-0132-8
    DOI: 10.1186/s40176-018-0132-8
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    1. Abdulloev Ilhom & Epstein Gil S. & Gang Ira N., 2020. "A Downside to the Brain Gain Story," Economics, Sciendo, vol. 8(2), pages 9-20, December.
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    3. Abdulloev, Ilhom & Epstein, Gil S. & Gang, Ira N., 2020. "Job Status, International Migration and Educational Choice," GLO Discussion Paper Series 709, Global Labor Organization (GLO).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Job satisfaction; Migration; Remittances; Tajikistan;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • F24 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Remittances
    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy

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