Abstract

We will merge labor market information on German migrants observed working in Austria with their labor market outcomes during any years they were working in Germany (either before or after their time in Austria). Similarly, we will merge labor market information on Austrian migrants observed in Germany with their labor market outcomes for any years they were working in Austria. To illustrate the nature of the resulting data set, consider a German citizen who works for several years in Germany (say, from ages 19 to 24), then moves to Austria for several years, then returns. For this individual we will be able to construct a complete longitudinal history of earnings outcomes in both the home country (Germany) and the destination country (Austria), before, during and after the migration spell.

The available data for each worker will include: gender and year of birth; total earnings and total days worked in each job held in either country; all spells of unemployment in either country; geographic location and industry of each job; characteristics of co-workers at each job (e.g., fraction of co-workers who are migrants from Germany or Austria); detailed occupation (for all jobs in Germany) or blue-collar/white collar status (for all jobs in Austria); and education (reported for jobs in Germany).

We will supplement these data with corresponding information on samples of native (non-migrant) workers in the two countries. These supplementary data will be used in two ways: (1) to form detailed comparisons in the home country labor market between people who emigrate and people who do not, before and after a migration spell; and (2) to form detailed comparisons in the destination country labor market between immigrants and natives.

Our analysis plan includes three main components:
(i) Descriptive Analysis of Migration Flows between Austria and Germany
(ii) Analysis of outcomes before and after first migration experience
(iii) Analysis of return migration and circular (repeat) migration