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Medical Worker Migration and Origin-Country Human Capital: Evidence from U.S. Visa Policy

Author

Listed:
  • Paolo Abarcar

    (Mathematica)

  • Caroline Theoharides

    (Amherst College)

Abstract

We exploit changes in U.S. visa policies for nurses to measure the origin-country human capital response to international migration opportunities. Combining data on all migrant departures and postsecondary institutions in the Philippines, we show that nursing enrollment and graduation increased substantially in response to greater U.S. demand for nurses. The supply of nursing programs expanded. Nurse quality, measured by licensure exam pass rates, declined. Despite this, for each nurse migrant, nine additional nurses were licensed. New nurses switched from other degree types but graduated at higher rates than they would have otherwise, increasing the human capital stock in the Philippines.

Suggested Citation

  • Paolo Abarcar & Caroline Theoharides, 2024. "Medical Worker Migration and Origin-Country Human Capital: Evidence from U.S. Visa Policy," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 106(1), pages 20-35, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:restat:v:106:y:2024:i:1:p:20-35
    DOI: 10.1162/rest_a_01131
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    1. repec:ehl:lserod:126083 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Fernando Riosmena, 2024. "Worlds in Motion Redux? Expanding Migration Theories and Their Interconnections," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 50(3), pages 677-726, September.
    3. Dodini, Samuel & Lundborg, Petter & Løken, Katrine & Willén, Alexander, 2025. "The Fatal Consequences of Brain Drain," Discussion Paper Series in Economics 9/2025, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Economics.
    4. Batista, Catia & Costa, David M. & Freitas, Pedro & Lima, Gonçalo & Reis, Ana B., 2025. "What matters for the decision to study abroad? A lab-in-the-field experiment in Cape Verde," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    5. Braga, Breno & Khanna, Gaurav & Turner, Sarah, 2024. "Migration policy and the supply of foreign physicians: Evidence from the Conrad 30 waiver program," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    6. repec:ces:ceswps:_11158 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Mauro Lanati & Rainer Thiele, 2021. "Aid for health, economic growth, and the emigration of medical workers," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(7), pages 1112-1140, October.
    8. World Bank, 2024. "International mobility as a development strategy," World Bank Publications - Reports 41928, The World Bank Group.
    9. Guo, Jingyuan & Deng, Kent, 2024. "Laying off old guards to rebuild state capacity: Deng Xiaoping’s bloodless coup d’etat in post-Mao China, 1980-2000," Economic History Working Papers 126083, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Economic History.
    10. Blanco-Álvarez, Jose & Parsons, Christopher & Tang, Sam & Wang, Yong, 2022. "Brain Refrain and Human Capital Formation in Spain," IZA Discussion Papers 15400, IZA Network @ LISER.
    11. Mobarak, Ahmed & Sharif, Iffath & Shrestha, Maheshwor, 2021. "Returns to International Migration: Evidence from a Bangladesh-Malaysia Visa Lottery," CEPR Discussion Papers 15990, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    12. Catia Batista & Lara Bohnet & Jules Gazeaud & Julia Seither, 2025. "From destination to origin: experimental evidence on the international spillovers of migrant integration," Nova SBE Working Paper Series wp2503, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Nova School of Business and Economics.
    13. Agarwal, Ruchir & Ganguli, Ina & Gaulé, Patrick & Smith, Geoff, 2023. "Why U.S. immigration matters for the global advancement of science," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(1).

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