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Immigration and Spatial Equilibrium: the Role of Expenditures in the Country of Origin

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  • Monras, Joan
  • Albert, Christoph

Abstract

We show that immigrants in the US concentrate in expensive cities, the earnings gap between natives and immigrants is larger in these cities, and these patterns are stronger when prices in the country of origin are lower. To rationalize this empirical evidence, we propose a quantitative spatial equilibrium model in which immigrants spend a fraction of their income in their countries of origin. Our model serves two purposes. First, to develop a new instrument for immigrant shocks that we use to test the model's predictions on native internal relocation responses. Second, to evaluate the consequences of immigration for aggregate productivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Monras, Joan & Albert, Christoph, 2018. "Immigration and Spatial Equilibrium: the Role of Expenditures in the Country of Origin," CEPR Discussion Papers 12842, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:12842
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Immigration; Location choices; Spatial equilibrium;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

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