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Who Leaves? The Outmigration of the Foreign-Born

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Listed:
  • Borjas, George J
  • Bratsberg, Bernt

Abstract

This paper analyzes the return migration of foreign-born persons in the United States. The authors argue that return migration may have been planned as part of an optimal life-cycle residential location sequence. Return migration also occurs because immigrants based their initial migration decision on erroneous information about opportunities in the United States. The study uses the 1980 Census and administrative data from the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Immigrants tend to return to wealthy countries that are not too far from the United States. Moreover, return migration accentuates the type of selection characterizing the immigrant population left in the United States. Copyright 1996 by MIT Press.

Suggested Citation

  • Borjas, George J & Bratsberg, Bernt, 1996. "Who Leaves? The Outmigration of the Foreign-Born," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 78(1), pages 165-176, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:tpr:restat:v:78:y:1996:i:1:p:165-76
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. George J. Borjas & Richard B. Freeman & Kevin Lang, 1991. "Undocumented Mexican-born Workers in the United States: How Many, How Permanent?," NBER Chapters, in: Immigration, Trade, and the Labor Market, pages 77-100, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • F66 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Labor

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