Unilateral Facilitation Does Not Raise International Labor Migration from the Philippines

52 Pages Posted: 20 Apr 2016

See all articles by Emily Beam

Emily Beam

University of Vermont - Department of Economics; University of Michigan at Ann Arbor

David J. McKenzie

World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Dean Yang

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor

Date Written: November 1, 2013

Abstract

Significant income gains from migrating from poorer to richer countries have motivated unilateral (source-country) policies facilitating labor emigration. However, their effectiveness is unknown. The authors conducted a large-scale randomized experiment in the Philippines testing the impact of unilaterally facilitating international labor migration. The most intensive treatment doubled the rate of job offers but had no identifiable effect on international labor migration. Even the highest overseas job-search rate that was induced (22 percent) falls far short of the share initially expressing interest in migrating (34 percent). The paper concludes that unilateral migration facilitation will at most induce a trickle, not a flood, of additional emigration.

Keywords: Population Policies, Labor Markets, Labor Policies, Access to Finance, Voluntary and Involuntary Resettlement

Suggested Citation

Beam, Emily and Beam, Emily and McKenzie, David John and Yang, Dean, Unilateral Facilitation Does Not Raise International Labor Migration from the Philippines (November 1, 2013). World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 6689, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2350535

Emily Beam (Contact Author)

University of Vermont - Department of Economics ( email )

347 Old Mill
Burlington, VT 05405-4160
United States

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor ( email )

500 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
United States

David John McKenzie

World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG) ( email )

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Washington, DC 20433
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IZA Institute of Labor Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Dean Yang

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor

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