Import Competition and Internal Migration
67 Pages Posted: 7 Dec 2016 Last revised: 24 Oct 2017
Date Written: October 2017
Abstract
We examine the U.S. internal migration response to increased import competition following the granting of Permanent Normal Trade Relations to China in 2001. Using a variety of data sets and empirical approaches, we find that local labor markets most exposed to the policy change experienced a relative reduction in population growth over the following decade. The majority of the effect occurs at a lag of 7 to 10 years, and is most pronounced among young individuals and low education groups. Such population adjustments should influence the interpretation of evidence in the growing literature on the effects of import competition on local labor markets.
Keywords: Local Labor Markets, Import Exposure, Migration, Migratory Trends
JEL Classification: F16, R23
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation