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Immigration, wages, and employment under informal labor markets

Author

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  • Lukas Delgado-Prieto

    (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid)

Abstract

This paper studies the labor market impacts of the Venezuelan immigration in Colombia. Exploiting spatial variation in exposure, I find a negative effect on native wages driven by the informal sector (where immigrants are concentrated) and a reduction in native employment in the formal sector (where the minimum wage binds for many workers). To explain this, I build a model in which a firm substitutes formal for informal labor in response to lower informal wages. Consistent with the model’s predictions, I document that the decrease in formal employment is driven by small firms that use both labor types in production and by workers earning the minimum wage.

Suggested Citation

  • Lukas Delgado-Prieto, 2024. "Immigration, wages, and employment under informal labor markets," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(2), pages 1-34, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jopoec:v:37:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s00148-024-01028-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s00148-024-01028-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Immigration; Event study; Labor market; Informality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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