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Out-migration, Wealth Constraints, and the Quality of Local Amenities

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  • Christian Dustmann

    (Department of Economics, and Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM), University College London.)

  • Anna Okatenko

    (CReAM, University College London.)

Abstract

Using a simple theoretical model, we show that the level of migration costs relative to wealth determines the form of the relation between income and migration intentions, which can be monotonically decreasing, increasing, or inverse U-shaped. Using unique individual level data, covering three geographic regions—sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America—we show that migration intentions do indeed respond to individual wealth, and that the patterns differ across the country groups studied in a manner compatible with the predictions of our model. Further, contentment with various dimensions of local amenities plays an important role for migration decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Christian Dustmann & Anna Okatenko, 2013. "Out-migration, Wealth Constraints, and the Quality of Local Amenities," Norface Discussion Paper Series 2013017, Norface Research Programme on Migration, Department of Economics, University College London.
  • Handle: RePEc:nor:wpaper:2013017
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Migration and Wealth Constraints; Migration Intentions; Local Amenities;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

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