The Impact of Immigration on the Employment of Natives in Regional Labour Markets: A Meta-Analysis

Publication type

Conference Paper

Series

European Regional Science Association Conference

Authors

Publication date

August 27, 2005

Abstract:

Immigration is a phenomenon of growing significance in many countries. Although political pressure to limit an influx of foreign born persons is usually defended in terms of a limited absorption capacity in the host country in terms of social cohesion and other social outcomes, there is also a common perception of resulting economic costs, particularly with respect to wages and employment opportunities. Using meta-analytic techniques we found in earlier research that the downward effect of immigration on wages of native workers is very small at the aggregate level although somewhat larger effects can be found for natives and earlier immigrants who are close substitutes to new arrivals. In this paper we focus on employment outcomes and assess by means of a meta-analysis of a range of studies for various countries whether immigration leads to job displacement among native workers. Consistent with the results for wages, we find that there is little evidence of job displacement at the aggregate level. Again at a more disaggregate levels, effects may be greater. The results are also linked to several study features.

#518249

---

Related Publications

• The impact of immigration on the employment of natives in regional labour markets: a meta-analysis

  1. Simonetta Longhi
  2. Peter Nijkamp
  3. Jacques Poot

  Book Chapter
  June 1, 2008

• The impact of immigration on the employment of natives in regional labour markets: a meta-analysis

  1. Simonetta Longhi
  2. Peter Nijkamp
  3. Jacques Poot

  ISER Working Paper Series
  March 1, 2006

• The Impact of Immigration on the Employment of Natives in Regional Labour Markets: A Meta-Analysis

  1. Simonetta Longhi
  2. Peter Nijkamp
  3. Jacques Poot

  Conference Paper
  February 22, 2006