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Remittance Income Volatility and Labor Supply in Mexico

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  • Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes
  • Susan Pozo

Abstract

Using the 2000 through 2008 waves of the Encuesta Nacional de Ingresos y Gastos de los Hogares (ENIGH), Mexico's income and expenditure survey, we estimate the way in which volatility surrounding the inflows of international remittances impacts male and female labor supply. We find that male and female labor supply decreases with higher levels of remittance income. Additionally, increases in remittance income volatility raise the employment likelihood of men and women, as well as the hours worked by employed women. Since men are more likely than women to be employed full‐time, women may be better suited to respond to increased volatility in remittance income by raising the number of hours worked. Overall, the findings are suggestive of labor supply being used as a buffer against income shortfalls and increased volatility in remittance inflows.

Suggested Citation

  • Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes & Susan Pozo, 2012. "Remittance Income Volatility and Labor Supply in Mexico," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 79(2), pages 257-276, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:soecon:v:79:y:2012:i:2:p:257-276
    DOI: 10.4284/0038-4038-2011.102
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Hannes Warnecke-Berger, 2022. "The financialization of remittances and the individualization of development: A new power geometry of global development," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 54(4), pages 702-721, June.
    2. Genc, Ismail H., 2022. "Are Indian Subcontinent remittance markets connected to each other?," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    3. Arian Tahiri & Faruk Ahmeti & Burim Prenaj, 2023. "The Effect of International Migrant Remittances on Employment Patterns: Evidence from Kosovo," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 1, pages 126-142.
    4. Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes & Susan Pozo, 2023. "The widespread impacts of remittance flows," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 1-97, May.

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