Unilateral Facilitation Does Not Raise International Labor Migration from the Philippines

47 Pages Posted: 22 Dec 2014 Last revised: 23 Mar 2023

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 - Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Department of Economics

Date Written: December 2014

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. We conducted a large-scale randomized experiment in the Philippines testing the impact of unilaterally facilitating international labor migration. Our 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 we induced (22%) falls far short of the share initially expressing interest in migrating (34%). We conclude that unilateral migration facilitation will at most induce a trickle, not a flood, of additional emigration.

Suggested Citation

Beam, Emily and Beam, Emily and McKenzie, David John and Yang, Dean and Yang, Dean, Unilateral Facilitation Does Not Raise International Labor Migration from the Philippines (December 2014). NBER Working Paper No. w20759, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2541535

Emily Beam (Contact Author)

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor ( email )

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University of Vermont - Department of Economics ( email )

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David John McKenzie

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

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IZA Institute of Labor Economics ( email )

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Dean Yang

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy ( email )

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HOME PAGE: http://www.umich.edu/~deanyang/

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Department of Economics

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