Zitatform

Gibbons, Eric M., Allie Greenman, Peter Norlander & Todd Sørensen (2019): Monopsony power and guest worker programs. (IZA discussion paper 12096), Bonn, 91 S.

Abstract

"Guest workers on visas in the United States may be unable to quit bad employers due to barriers to mobility and a lack of labor market competition. Using H-1B, H-2A, and H-2B program data, we calculate the concentration of employers in geographically defined labor markets within occupations. We find that many guest workers face moderately or highly concentrated labor markets, based on federal merger scrutiny guidelines, and that concentration generally decreases wages. For example, moving from a market with an HHI of zero to a market comprised of two employers lowers H-1B worker wages approximately 10 percent, and a pure monopsony (one employer) reduces wages by 13 percent. A simulation shows that wages under pure monopsony could be 47 percent lower, suggesting that employers do not use the extent of their monopsony power. Enforcing wage regulations and decreasing barriers to mobility may better address issues of exploitation than antitrust scrutiny." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Imoagene, Onoso (2019): The Nigerian second generation at work in Britain. Ethnoracial exclusion and adaptive strategies. In: Sociology, Jg. 53, H. 2, S. 264-279. DOI:10.1177/0038038518776866

Abstract

"This article examines the workplace experiences of upwardly mobile second generation Nigerians in Britain. It uses data from semi-structured in-depth interviews with 73 second generation Nigerian adults. The analysis distinguishes between incidents of discrimination and stigmatization (assaults on worth) and finds that incidents of stigmatization were more common than incidents of racial discrimination among the Nigerian second generation. Contextual factors, specifically Britain's colonial history, national identity, and the cultural repertoire of the British class system shaped how individuals perceived, recognized, and interpreted incidents of ethnoracial exclusion. Strategies of non-response, social adaptability, and conciliation were used both to respond to these incidents of ethnoracial exclusion and facilitate economic mobility. The findings present a more complex story than one of simple racial discrimination for second generation Africans in British workplaces." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Jakobsen, Vibeke, Tomas Korpi & Thomas Lorentzen (2019): Immigration and integration policy and labour market attainment among immigrants to Scandinavia. In: European Journal of Population, Jg. 35, H. 2, S. 305-328. DOI:10.1007/s10680-018-9483-3

Abstract

"Insufficient integration of immigrants into the labour market has been identified as a major problem in the Scandinavian countries Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Integration depends, inter alia, on immigration and integration policy, and for most of the post-war period the policies of the three countries displayed strong similarities. However, in the early 2000s Denmark increasingly deviated from its two neighbours, introducing more restrictive immigration and stricter integration policies. Comparing both pre- and post-reform immigrants across Scandinavia, we assess the wider impact of this comprehensive policy reversal by tracking the evolution of employment and earnings gaps between 1993 and 2006. We use large data sets with individual-level register information allowing us to account for immigrant labour force composition and to examine sub-groups of immigrants. The results do not indicate that the Danish reforms had any clear-cut effect on either employment or earnings among non-Western immigrants. Moreover, integration in Norway and Sweden was not unequivocally worse despite the absence of similar reforms, raising questions regarding the aptness of the Danish reversal." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Kennedy, Andrew (2019): The Politics of Skilled Immigration: Explaining the Ups and Downs of the US H-1B Visa Program. In: International migration review, Jg. 53, H. 2, S. 346-370. DOI:10.1177/0197918318769312

Abstract

"The United States has long been a magnet for skilled immigrants, but its openness to these immigrants has varied considerably over time. Focusing on the H-1B visa program, this article explains why the program's annual cap has risen and fallen from the mid-1990s to the present. Whereas recent studies of skilled immigration policy have focused on struggles between capital and labor, this article contends that US policy also reflects a struggle between capital and citizen groups' one that has changed considerably over the past two decades. The findings challenge recent work on skilled immigration and US immigration policy." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Kolbe, Melanie & Elif Naz Kayran (2019): The limits of skill-selective immigration policies. Welfare states and the commodification of labour immigrants. In: Journal of European social policy, Jg. 29, H. 4, S. 478-497. DOI:10.1177/0958928718819609

Abstract

"Why do some countries have more skill-selective labour immigration policies than others? Despite general agreement that high-skilled immigrants are economically and socially desirable, some countries extensively select high-skilled from low-skilled labour immigrants, while others do not. While most political economy accounts indicate an explicit connection between relative skill selectivity and welfare states, two different hypotheses emerge regarding the direction of this relationship. The fiscal cost hypothesis puts forward that the tension between welfare state generosity and immigration motivates greater selectivity as states try to reconcile fiscal pressures for closure with continuing needs for immigration. The decommodification hypothesis, in contrast, holds that the capabilities of generous welfare states to decommodify their citizens also decrease rationales to be more skill-selective towards labour immigrants. Developing an original measure of skill selectivity in labour immigration policies for 20 developed democracies from 2000 to 2010, we test these two hypotheses. Our results indicate that differences in decommodification levels appear to be substantively and negatively associated with differences in skill selectivity levels, while changes in welfare spending over time, particularly among high-spending countries, rather than differences in spending levels, seem to be positively associated with increasing skill selectivity. This suggests potential tensions between the political responses to economic and demographic changes in the form of immigration policy adjustments and the underlying social logic of modern welfare states. The findings contribute not only to the study of high-skilled immigration, but also advance the current research on the tension between immigration and the welfare state." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Könönen, Jukka (2019): Becoming a 'labour migrant': Immigration regulations as a frame of reference for migrant employment. In: Work, employment and society, Jg. 33, H. 5, S. 777-793. DOI:10.1177/0950017019835133

Abstract

"This article addresses the role of immigration regulations as a frame of reference for migrant employment before obtaining permanent residency status. Drawing on interviews with non-EU migrants and service sector employers in the Helsinki area, the article examines how immigration regulations inform migrant employment and contribute to the hierarchisation of labour markets. The analysis focuses on the legal significance of employment for migrants during the immigration process, which is related to the financial requirements for residence permits and manifested in the work permit process in particular. Immigration regulations increase migrants' dependency on paid employment, consequently decreasing their bargaining power in the labour market. The findings demonstrate the changing dynamics of the supply and demand of labour in the low-paid service sector, where employers prefer to recruit migrants in temporary legal positions over local workers and 'labour migrants', resulting in what the author calls the juridical division of labour." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Lofstrom, Magnus & Chunbei Wang (2019): Immigrants and entrepreneurship: Business ownership is higher among immigrants, but promoting self-employment is unlikely to improve outcomes for the less skilled. (IZA world of labor 85), Bonn, 11 S. DOI:10.15185/izawol.85.v2

Abstract

"Gemessen an der Zahl der Geschäftsinhaber sind Zuwanderer überdurchschnittlich oft unternehmerisch aktiv. In der wissenschaftlichen Forschung werden die Auswirkungen auf das Gastland durchweg positiv bewertet, während es zu möglichen Nachteilen kaum ernstzunehmende Erkenntnisse gibt. Allerdings hat die Förderung der Selbstständigkeit nicht verbreitet zur Verbesserung der wirtschaftlichen Lage von Migranten mit geringem Qualifikationsniveau beigetragen. Solange spezielle Visa-Programme den wirtschaftlichen Nutzen von Zuwanderung nicht nachweislich in besonderem Maße steigern, sollten Bildungs- und Ausbildungsabschlüsse als Hauptkriterien für die Auswahl von Zuwanderern herangezogen werden, da sich an ihnen die Erfolgsaussichten der Migranten am besten ablesen lassen." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Neureiter, Michael (2019): Evaluating the effects of immigrant integration policies in Western Europe using a difference-in-differences approach. In: Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Jg. 45, H. 15, S. 2779-2800. DOI:10.1080/1369183X.2018.1505485

Abstract

"In recent years, several European countries have adopted mandatory language and civic education requirements for immigrants with the hope that they will lead to improved integration outcomes. This study evaluates whether these integration requirements have been successful at achieving their intended goals. Analysing immigrants' responses to the European Social Survey (2002 - 2015) in 15 EU member states via a difference-in-differences approach, I find that mandatory integration requirements have a strong and positive effect on immigrants' level of economic integration, but no impact on their degree of social and political integration. Supplementary evidence, which includes 23 original interviews as well as analyses of country-level data, indicates that the positive effect of mandatory integration requirements on economic integration is due to a true treatment effect rather than a selection effect. Therefore, this study suggests a differential impact of integration policy across different dimensions of immigrant integration, but overall makes a case for the adoption of robust language and civic education requirements for immigrants." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Scalettaris, Giulia & Flore Gubert (2019): Return Schemes from European Countries: Assessing the Challenges. In: International Migration, Jg. 57, H. 4, S. 91-104. DOI:10.1111/imig.12467

Abstract

"Drawing on a review of the academic literature on return migration and return migration policies, as well as on reports and project documentation, this article provides a general assessment of return schemes from European countries, with a focus on those targeting failed asylum-seekers and irregular migrants. The article first highlights the contrasted understanding of return and reintegration by migration policy-makers and migration scholars respectively. It then provides an overview of the main challenges, focusing on seven key issues: preparedness to return, the imbalance of represented interests, legal mobility, conditions in the countries of origin, the reintegration package, integration in Europe, and the specific obstacles to return faced by failed asylum-seekers. The article highlights the need to reassess return policies and frame more realistic schemes." (Author's abstract, Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons) ((en))

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Sener, Meltem Yilmaz (2019): Perceived discrimination as a major factor behind return migration? The return of Turkish qualified migrants from the USA and Germany. In: Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Jg. 45, H. 15, S. 2801-2819. DOI:10.1080/1369183X.2018.1524292

Abstract

"This paper explains discrimination perceptions of Turkish qualified migrants who returned from Germany and the United States, and the impact of perceived discrimination on their return. It depends on in-depth interviews with 80 qualified Turkish returnees. Our findings indicate that: (i) returnees from Germany think they experienced ethnic discrimination; (ii) discrimination is a major reason behind their return; (iii) returnees from the US did not mention discrimination; (iv) discrimination is not a reason for return for them. We discuss these findings and explain the differences between German and American contexts in terms of ethnic boundaries. We use Alba's (2005) distinction between bright and blurry ethnic boundaries to explain the difference between the two countries. However, going beyond his argument, we also connect this distinction to cultural capital. We argue that in a context where there are bright ethnic boundaries, high cultural capital does not free the individual from experiences of discrimination, whereas it can make a difference in a context where there are blurry ethnic boundaries. Qualified migrants choose to return from contexts where there are bright ethnic boundaries to escape from experiences of discrimination, as they can afford return due to their high levels of cultural and economic capital." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Tian, Yunchen (2019): Workers by any other name: comparing co-ethnics and 'interns' as labour migrants to Japan. In: Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Jg. 45, H. 9, S. 1496-1514. DOI:10.1080/1369183X.2018.1466696

Abstract

"In the field of comparative immigration politics, Japan has been described as a 'negative case': despite structural shortages in the domestic labour supply, scholars have commonly pointed to the nation's extremely restrictive, ethno-nationalist policies as an antithetical case against which traditional migration states can be compared. Applying an approach focused on the viewpoint of the state, I argue that in response to market pressures, Japan simultaneously implemented two schemes: an ethnic return migration programme centred on the discourse of rekindling ancestral ties, and a de facto guest worker programme officially represented as an internship initiative to disseminate Japanese technical knowledge. The perceived failure of co-ethnic migrants to integrate themselves on Japanese terms led to the expansion of the latter programme. Juxtaposing the two, I examine the processes through which the Japanese state 'learned' and reacted to differing policy outcomes. In doing so, I argue that policy revisions since the early 2000s have signalled the birth of a Japanese 'developmental migration state', in which restrictive immigration policies that uphold a narrow view of a homogenous nation are repeatedly reoriented to accommodate economic and development goals." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Weber, Enzo (2019): Folgen des Brexit für Deutschland: Dämpfer für die Konjunktur, nicht für den Arbeitsmarkt. In: IAB-Forum H. 07.02.2019, o. Sz., 2019-02-04.

Abstract

"Ein harter Brexit würde sich auf die Konjunktur in Deutschland voraussichtlich negativ auswirken. Die Auswirkungen auf die Beschäftigung dürften sich jedoch in engen Grenzen halten, da sich die Entwicklung des Arbeitsmarkts seit geraumer Zeit sehr robust gegenüber konjunkturellen Fluktuationen zeigt. Deutschland könnte durch den Brexit zudem verstärkt zum Ziel innereuropäischer Migrationsströme werden, mit positiven Folgen für Arbeitskräftepotenzial und Beschäftigung." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Zehavi, Amos & Dan Breznitz (2019): The neoliberal targeted social investment state. The case of ethnic minorities. In: Journal of social policy, Jg. 48, H. 2, S. 207-225. DOI:10.1017/S004727941800034X

Abstract

"Neoliberal governance has been associated with rising inequality and economic exclusion. Recent scholarship proposes that the social investment state (SIS) is a turn away from such inequality and exclusion-enhancing neoliberalism. The ideal SIS responds to neoliberalism-generated social ills by investing in the productive capacities of all its citizens. However, commentators ask whether an SIS addresses the plight of weaker elements in society, specifically that of disadvantaged ethnic minorities. This paper looks specifically at this question by utilising a critical-case study research design of a surprising example of social investment in disadvantaged ethnic minorities: the extensive labour market policies for Israeli Arabs. This paper introduces the concept of a neoliberal targeted SIS in which social investment programmes are developed for economic reasons, promoted by neoliberal actors (right-wing parties and Ministries of Finance), target narrow groups instead of being applied to all, and the preferred mode for the delivery of services is private. Egalitarian outcomes - to the extent that they materialise - might be thought of as a policy by-product." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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(2019): International migration outlook 2019. (International migration outlook 43), Paris, 407 S. DOI:10.1787/c3e35eec-en

Abstract

"This report looks at ways to improve the resilience of systems to deal with the unexpected arrival of large inflows of refugees and other vulnerable migrants. It begins with an overview of the recent flows of migrants seeking protection, discusses the expected economic impact of these flows, and notes what has been an unprecedented multilateral response. It then examines the process of integrating refugees and other vulnerable migrants, in terms of their economic and social outcomes, as well as specific factors of vulnerability. It also provides a comprehensive assessment of the transition policies in place to support their livelihood in destination and transit countries, as well as in origin countries upon return. Finally, the report tackles issues of anticipation, monitoring and reacting, examining the role of early warning mechanisms and the challenge of improving information so as to better monitor integration outcomes and frame policies." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Abel, Guy J. (2018): Estimates of global bilateral migration flows by gender between 1960 and 2015. In: International migration review, Jg. 52, H. 3, S. 809-852. DOI:10.1177/0197918318781842

Abstract

"An indirect estimation method is used to derive country to country migration flows from changes in global bilateral stock data. Estimates are obtained over five- and 10-year periods between 1960 and 2015 by gender, providing a comprehensive picture of past migration patterns. The estimated total of global international migrant flows generally increases over the 55-year time frame. The global rate of migration over five- and 10-year periods fluctuate at around 0.65 and 1.25 percent of the population, respectively. The sensitivity of estimates to alternative input stock and demographic data are explored." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Adamuti-Trache, Maria, Paul Anisef & Robert Sweet (2018): Differences in language proficiency and learning strategies among immigrant women to Canada. In: Journal of language, identity and education, Jg. 17, H. 1, S. 16-33. DOI:10.1080/15348458.2017.1390433

Abstract

"Immigrant women to Canada face unique challenges in gaining mastery of English or French, the country's two official languages. The study focuses on differences among women with respect to pre-migration and post-migration characteristics that position them differently with respect to language learning in the social contexts where they assert their immigrant identity. This study examines issues in language acquisition among adult immigrant women and their strategies to improve language skills within four years of arrival, using nationally representative data from the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC). The study shows that older women, less educated women, and some immigration class groups (i.e., spouse/dependents, family class, refugees) have lower language proficiency at arrival and less chances to improve. Since immigrant women represent a heterogeneous group in terms of pre-migration language skills and access to language learning, adequate language learning support is required to facilitate their effective integration in the Canadian society." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Ala-Mantila, Minna & Fenella Fleischmann (2018): Gender differences in labour market integration trajectories of recently arrived migrants in the Netherlands. In: Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Jg. 44, H. 11, S. 1818-1840. DOI:10.1080/1369183X.2017.1382340

Abstract

"This study investigates gender differences in recently arrived migrants' labour market activity and occupational status both shortly after arrival and with increasing length of stay. We examine the role of education, household composition and traditional gender role values by estimating multi-group multilevel models based on three waves of the New Immigrants to the Netherlands Survey. In line with findings regarding gender gaps in labour market behaviour, recent female migrants are less active on labour market than their male counterparts, and we observe a clear motherhood penalty and fatherhood premium on the number of hours worked. Men and women show only marginal differences in their occupational statuses. Changes over time do not differ between men and women, indicating persistent gender inequality in labour market attainment. Moreover, interesting differences between the nationalities were found. Polish migrants show the highest activity levels and lowest occupational status, also when compared to Bulgarians. Spanish migrants hold the highest occupational statuses. Recent Turkish migrants seem to be better integrated and show fewer gender differences than the more established Turkish minority in the Netherlands." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Amior, Michael (2018): The contribution of foreign migration to local labor market adjustment. (CEP discussion paper 1582), London, 86 S.

Abstract

"The US suffers from large regional disparities in employment rates which have persisted for many decades. It has been argued that foreign migration offers a remedy: it 'greases the wheels' of the labor market by accelerating the adjustment of local population. Remarkably, I find that new migrants account for 30 to 60 percent of the average population response to local demand shocks since 1960. However, population growth is not significantly more responsive in locations better supplied by new migrants: the larger foreign contribution is almost entirely offset by a reduced contribution from internal mobility. This is fundamentally a story of 'crowding out': I estimate that new foreign migrants to a commuting zone crowd out existing US residents one-for-one. The magnitude of this effect is puzzling, and it may be somewhat overstated by undercoverage of migrants in the census. Nevertheless, it appears to conflict with much of the existing literature, and I attempt to explain why. Methodologically, I offer tools to identify the local impact of immigration in the context of local dynamics." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Amuedo-Dorantes, Catalina & Mary J. Lopez (2018): Impeding or accelerating assimilation? Immigration enforcement and its impact on naturalization patterns. (CReAM discussion paper 2018,14), London, 56 S.

Abstract

"Naturalization bestows economic benefits to immigrants, their families and communities through greater access to employment opportunities, higher earnings, and homeownership. It is the cornerstone of immigrant assimilation in the United States. Yet, less than 800,000 of the estimated 8.8 million legal permanent residents eligible to naturalize do so on a yearly basis. Using data from the 2008-2016 American Community Survey, we analyze how the expansion of interior U.S. immigration enforcement affects naturalization patterns. We find that the intensification of interior enforcement increases migrants' propensity to naturalize and accelerates their naturalization, possibly in response to increased uncertainty about future immigration policy. Yet, the impacts are highly heterogeneous. For eligible-to-naturalize immigrants living in mixed-status households - households with at least one unauthorized member, we find the opposite effects. Intensified enforcement makes them less likely to naturalize or to delay their status adjustment, possibly to avoid any contact with immigration officials. Understanding how immigration policy influences naturalization decisions is important given the benefits to naturalization and the potential to counter the adverse impacts of tougher enforcement on the 16 million individuals, many of them U.S. citizens, residing in mixed-status households." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))