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Migration, Education and Work Opportunities

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  • Girsberger, Esther Mirjam

    (University of Technology, Sydney)

Abstract

I study individual location, education and work decisions in a dynamic life-cycle model in a developing country. I estimate the model exploiting panel data on migrants and stayers in Burkina Faso, and cross-sectional data on permanent emigrants. Individuals self-select into migration and locations based on education. Migration to urban centres increases with education, while migrants at the extremes of the education distribution tend to move abroad. Local unemployment rates, skilled work opportunities and returns to education result in differential expected income gains across locations and hereby explain the complex migration pattern observed. Large income gains from migration are partially offset by direct and indirect migration costs, as well as by higher investment in education (for rural migrants). Migration prospects to urban centres drive education choices of rural individuals. Hence, migration policies can be used to stimulate educational attainment in rural regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Girsberger, Esther Mirjam, 2017. "Migration, Education and Work Opportunities," IZA Discussion Papers 11028, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp11028
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Bossavie, Laurent & Görlach, Joseph-Simon & Özden, Çaglar & Wang, He, 2025. "Temporary migration for long-term investment," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    2. Christian Dustmann & Joseph-Simon Görlach, 2016. "The Economics of Temporary Migrations," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 54(1), pages 98-136, March.
    3. Girsberger, Esther Mirjam & Méango, Romuald & Rapoport, Hillel, 2020. "Regional migration and wage inequality in the West African economic and monetary union," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 385-404.
    4. Romuald Méango, 2016. "What Makes Brain Drain More Likely? Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," CESifo Working Paper Series 6209, CESifo.
    5. A. G. Al-Morshed, 2021. "Labour Migration to Middle Eastern Countries: Labour Market Scenario in Bangladesh and Migrants’ Perspectives," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 5(11), pages 29-43.
    6. Girsberger, Esther Mirjam & Meango, Romuald & Rapoport, Hillel, 2018. "Regional Migration and Wage Inequality in the West African Economic and Monetary Union," IZA Discussion Papers 12048, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy

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