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The immigrant/native wealth gap in Germany, Italy and Luxembourg

Author

Listed:
  • Mathä, Thomas Y.
  • Porpiglia, Alessandro
  • Sierminska, Eva

Abstract

This paper analyses the existence of an immigrant/native wealth gap by using household survey data for Luxembourg, Germany and Italy. The results show that, in all three countries, a sizeable wealth gap exists between natives and immigrants. Towards the upper tail of the wealth distribution the gap narrows to a small extent. This gap persists even after controlling for demographic characteristics, country of origin, cohort and age at migration although cross-country differences exist in the immigration penalty. JEL Classification: D31, F22

Suggested Citation

  • Mathä, Thomas Y. & Porpiglia, Alessandro & Sierminska, Eva, 2011. "The immigrant/native wealth gap in Germany, Italy and Luxembourg," Working Paper Series 1302, European Central Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecb:ecbwps:20111302
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Thomas K. Bauer & Deborah A. Cobb‐Clark & Vincent A. Hildebrand & Mathias G. Sinning, 2011. "A Comparative Analysis Of The Nativity Wealth Gap," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 49(4), pages 989-1007, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Thomas Y. Mathä & Alessandro Porpiglia & Michael Ziegelmeyer, 2014. "Wealth differences across borders and the effect of real estate price dynamics: Evidence from two household surveys," BCL working papers 90, Central Bank of Luxembourg.
    2. Graziella Bertocchi & Marianna Brunetti & Anzelika Zaiceva, 2023. "The Financial Decisions of Immigrant and Native Households: Evidence from Italy," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 9(1), pages 117-174, March.
    3. Sierminska, Eva & Piazzalunga, Daniela & Grabka, Markus M., 2018. "Transitioning towards more equality? Wealth gender differences and the changing role of explanatory factors over time," GLO Discussion Paper Series 252, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    4. Vincent A. Hildebrand & María Noel Pi Alperin & Philippe Van Kerm, 2017. "Measuring and Accounting for the Deprivation Gap of Portuguese Immigrants in Luxembourg," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 63(2), pages 288-309, June.
    5. Ihley, Dorothee & Siebert-Meyerhoff, Andrea, 2016. "The evolution of immigrants' homeownership in Germany," CAWM Discussion Papers 92, University of Münster, Münster Center for Economic Policy (MEP).
    6. Alessio Fusco & Philippe Kerm & A. Alieva & L. Bellani & F. Etienne-Robert & A.-C. Guio & I. Kyzyma & K. Leduc & P. Liégeois & M.N.P. Alperin & A. Reinstadler & E. Sierminska & D. Sologon & P. Thill &, 2013. "GINI Country Report: Growing Inequalities and their Impacts in Luxembourg," GINI Country Reports luxembourg, AIAS, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies.
    7. Pawel Strzelecki, 2018. "Unexplained native-immigrant wage gap in Poland in 2015-2016. Insights from the surveys in Warsaw and in Lublin," KAE Working Papers 2018-041, Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of Economic Analysis.
    8. Antonella D’Agostino & Andrea Regoli & Giancarlo Cornelio & Fabio Berti, 2016. "Studying Income Inequality of Immigrant Communities in Italy," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 127(1), pages 83-100, May.
    9. Francesco Schirripa Spagnolo & Antonella D’Agostino & Nicola Salvati, 2018. "Measuring differences in economic standard of living between immigrant communities in Italy," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1643-1667, July.
    10. Thomas Y. Mathä & Alessandro Porpiglia & Michael Ziegelmeyer, 2018. "Wealth differences across borders and the effect of real estate price dynamics: Evidence from two household surveys," Journal of Income Distribution, Ad libros publications inc., vol. 26(1), pages 1-35, March.
    11. Fleck, Johannes & Monninger, Adrian, 2020. "Culture and portfolios: trust, precautionary savings and home ownership," Working Paper Series 2457, European Central Bank.
    12. Doorley, Karina & Sierminska, Eva, 2012. "Myth or Fact? The Beauty Premium across the Wage Distribution," IZA Discussion Papers 6674, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Muckenhuber, Mattias & Rehm, Miriam & Schnetzer, Matthias, 2021. "The migrant wealth gap at the household level: Evidence from RIF regressions for Austria," ifso working paper series 15, University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute for Socioeconomics (ifso).
    14. Ihle Dorothee & Siebert-Meyerhoff Andrea, 2019. "The Evolution of Immigrants’ Homeownership in Germany," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 239(2), pages 155-201, April.
    15. Hannah Zillessen, 2022. "Uncertainty, Citizenship & Migrant Saving Choices," Economics Series Working Papers 1008, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    16. repec:jid:journl:y:2018:v:26:i:3:p:15-49 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes & Susan Pozo, 2015. "The impact of the recession on the wealth of older immigrant and native households in the United States," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 4(1), pages 1-27, December.
    18. DOORLEY Karina & SIERMINSKA Eva, 2011. "Beauty and the beast in the labor market: Evidence from a distribution regression approach," LISER Working Paper Series 2011-62, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER).
    19. SIERMINSKA Eva & DOORLEY Karina, 2012. "Decomposing household wealth portfolios across countries: An age-old question?," LISER Working Paper Series 2012-32, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER).
    20. Dossche, Maarten & Kolndrekaj, Aleksandra & Propst, Maximilian & Ramos Perez, Javier & Slacalek, Jiri, 2022. "Immigrants and the distribution of income and wealth in the euro area: first facts and implications for monetary policy," Working Paper Series 2719, European Central Bank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    distribution; household; immigrants; survey data; wealth gap;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration

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