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Are Immigration Regularization Programs a Pull Factor? Evidence for OECD Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Paúl Elguezabal

    (University of Goettingen)

  • Inmaculada Martínez-Zarzoso

    (University of Goettingen & University of Goettingen)

Abstract

This paper evaluates the impact of regularisation programs on immigration flows using a newly collected dataset and panel-data techniques applied to gravity models. The main novelty is twofold. First to present the dataset with detailed information on regularisation policies in OECD countries, including those implemented over the period from 1944 to 2023 and specifying the timeframe of implementation and the origin nationalities targeted. And second, to estimate the impact with a gravity model of bilateral migration applying a Poisson pseudo maximum likelihood estimator for an unbalanced panel of 193 origins and 32 OECD destinations for 199-2022. The main results indicate that the regularisation impact is very heterogeneous across geographical regions of incoming migrants and across groups of countries depending on their level of development. In particular, the results indicate that regularisation programs are a pull factor for lower-income OECD destinations.

Suggested Citation

  • Paúl Elguezabal & Inmaculada Martínez-Zarzoso, 2024. "Are Immigration Regularization Programs a Pull Factor? Evidence for OECD Countries," Working Papers 2024.14, International Network for Economic Research - INFER.
    • Handle: RePEc:inf:wpaper:2024.14
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Machado, Joël, 2017. "Dealing With Undocumented Immigrants: The Welfare Effects Of Amnesties And Deportations," Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 83(4), pages 445-492, December.
    2. Fabio Méndez & Facundo Sepúlveda & Nieves Valdés, 2016. "Legalization and human capital accumulation," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 29(3), pages 721-756, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Migration; regularisation; policy evaluation; income and regional heterogeneity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F - International Economics

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