TY - JOUR
T1 - On the relative rewards to immigration
T2 - A comparison of the relative labour market positions of Indians in the USA, the UK and India
AU - De Coulon, A
AU - Wadsworth, Jonathan
PY - 2010/3
Y1 - 2010/3
N2 - While most studies of the decision to immigrate focus on absolute income differences between countries, we argue that relative change in purchasing power or status, as captured by an individual’s ranking in the wage distribution, may also be another important determinant of the migration decision. Using data on Indian immigrants in the US and the UK matched to comparable data on individuals who remained in India, we show that the average Indian immigrant will experience a fall in their relative ranking in the wage distribution compared to the position similar individuals achieve by remaining in the origin country. The fall in relative rankings is larger for immigrants to the UK than to the US, and largest of all for those with intermediate skills.
AB - While most studies of the decision to immigrate focus on absolute income differences between countries, we argue that relative change in purchasing power or status, as captured by an individual’s ranking in the wage distribution, may also be another important determinant of the migration decision. Using data on Indian immigrants in the US and the UK matched to comparable data on individuals who remained in India, we show that the average Indian immigrant will experience a fall in their relative ranking in the wage distribution compared to the position similar individuals achieve by remaining in the origin country. The fall in relative rankings is larger for immigrants to the UK than to the US, and largest of all for those with intermediate skills.
U2 - 10.1007/s11150-009-9065-6
DO - 10.1007/s11150-009-9065-6
M3 - Article
VL - 8
SP - 147
EP - 169
JO - Review of Economics of the Household
JF - Review of Economics of the Household
IS - 1
ER -
