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Remittances and the prevalence of working poor

Author Info

Listed author(s):
  • Jean-Louis Combes

    ()

    (CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - UdA - Université d'Auvergne - Clermont-Ferrand I - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Christian Hubert Ebeke

    ()

    (CERDI - Centre d'Études et de Recherches sur le Développement International - UdA - Université d'Auvergne - Clermont-Ferrand I - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Mathilde Maurel

    ()

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Thierry Yogo

    ()

    (FSEG, CEREG - Université de Yaoudé II-Soa)

Abstract

This paper focuses on the relationships between remittances and the share of individuals working for less than 2$ US per day. It is based on an original panel dataset containing information related to remittances in about 80 developing countries and to the number of workers being paid less than 2 dollars per day as well. Even after factoring in the endogeneity of remittance inflows the results suggest that remittances lead to a decrease in the prevalence of working poor in receiving economies. This effect is stronger in a contex of high macroeconomic volatility but is mitigated by the unpredictability of remittances : remittances are more effective to decreasing the share of working poor when they are easily predictable. Moreover, domestic finance and remittances appear as substitutes : remittances are less efficient in reducing the prevalence of working poor whenever finance is available.

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File URL: https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00587797/document
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Paper provided by HAL in its series Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) with number halshs-00587797.

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Date of creation: Apr 2011
Publication status: Published in Documents de travail du Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne 2011.21 - ISSN : 1955-611X. 2011
Handle: RePEc:hal:cesptp:halshs-00587797
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00587797
Contact details of provider: Web page: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/

Keywords: Working poor; remittances; shocks; financial development.; Travailleurs pauvres; transferts de fonds; chocs; développement financier.;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
  • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance
  • F43 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Economic Growth of Open Economies
  • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration

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Cited by:

  1. repec:dau:papers:123456789/12802 is not listed on IDEAS
  2. Jamal Bouyiour & Amal Miftah, 2015. "The impact of migrant workers' remittances on the living standards of families in Morocco: A propensity score matching approach," Migration Letters, Transnational Press London, UK, vol. 12(1), pages 13-27, January.
  3. Jean Louis Combes & Christian Ebeke & Mathilde Maurel, 2015. "The effect of remittances prior to an election," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(38), pages 4074-4089, August.
  4. World Bank, 2012. "Bangladesh - Towards Accelerated, Inclusive and Sustainable Growth : Opportunities and Challenges, Volume 2. Main Report," World Bank Other Operational Studies 12121, The World Bank.

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