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The Winner Takes It All: Internal Migration, Education and Wages in Ethiopia

Author

Listed:
  • Blunch, Niels-Hugo

    (Washington and Lee University)

  • Ruggeri Laderchi, Caterina

    (World Bank)

Abstract

Previous studies of migration have mainly examined international dynamics. Yet, internal migration is an important issue, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using the 2001 Ethiopia Child Labor Survey, a nationally representative household survey, this paper examines internal migration in Ethiopia, focusing on the linkages among internal migration, education and wages. The results suggest that migrants are better educated and obtain higher wages than non-migrants, controlling for other factors (including education), and also obtain higher returns to their education. In other words, the more educated reap higher returns from their education as a main effect, as well as higher returns to their education from migration than non-migrants – that is, "the winner takes it all." This result should be of concern to policy makers in Ethiopia and elsewhere – especially in Sub-Saharan Africa – since individuals with low levels of education already are in a vulnerable group. The study therefore also discusses the policy implications of these results.

Suggested Citation

  • Blunch, Niels-Hugo & Ruggeri Laderchi, Caterina, 2015. "The Winner Takes It All: Internal Migration, Education and Wages in Ethiopia," IZA Discussion Papers 8926, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp8926
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Mussa, E.C. & Mirzabaev, A. & Admassie, A. & Rukundo, E.N., 2018. "Effects of childhood work on long-term out-migration decision in rural Ethiopia," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 276004, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    2. Ararso Baru & Ikeola A Adeoye & Adeyemi O Adekunle, 2020. "“I was raped by the broker on the first day of my arrival in the town.” Exploring reasons for risky sexual behavior among sexually-active unmarried young female internal migrants in Ethiopia: A qualitative study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(11), pages 1-14, November.
    3. Kerilyn Schewel & Sonja Fransen, 2018. "Formal Education and Migration Aspirations in Ethiopia," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 44(3), pages 555-587, September.
    4. Marta Schoch, . "Essays on political economy, inequality and development," Economics PhD Theses, Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School, number 0120, December.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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