Showing papers by "Laura Serlenga published in 2006"

Intentions to Return of Undocumented Migrants: Illegality as a Cause of Skill Waste *

Abstract: In this paper we show that highly skilled undocumented migrants are more likely to return home than migrants with low or no skills when illegality causes “skill waste”, i.e. when illegality reduces the rate of return of individual capabilities (i.e. skills and human capital) in both the labor and the financial markets of the country of destination. This proposition is first illustrated in a simple life-cycle framework, where illegality acts as a tax on skills, and then is tested on a sample of apprehended immigrants that crossed unlawfully the Italian borders in 2003. The estimation confirms that the intention to return to the home country is more likely for highly skilled than low-skill illegal immigrants. The presence of migration networks in the destination country may lower the skill-waste effect. The empirical result of this paper contrasts with the common wisdom on return decisions of legal migrants, according to which low-skill individuals are more likely to go back home rather than highly skilled migrants.

Does clandestinity damage potential development in the countries of origin? A study of illegal migrants in Italy

Abstract: Whereas the return-remittance nexus (favouring sending countries’ development) received extensive attention for legal migrants, little is known for illegal migrants, dominating migratory flows nowadays. Based on a representative sample of illegal migrants in Italy in 2003, our analysis focuses on their expected level of remittances and intentions to return. Clandestine immigrants and asylum seekers, the two main categories of illegal entrants, substantially differ in their motivation to notify their presence to the receiving countries’ authorities. The formers face higher income uncertainty. Our finding that clandestines have a lower propensity to remit has important economic consequences. By shifting the balance from legal to clandestine migration, restrictive migratory policies damage ability and incentives for individuals to remit and, thus, sending countries’ development. Temporary migration schemes lowering migrants’ uncertainty and risks could benefit both receiving and sending countries.

Intentions to Return of Undocumented Migrants: Illegality as a Cause of Skill Waste

Abstract: In this paper we show that highly skilled undocumented migrants are more likely to return home than migrants with low or no skills when illegality causes “skill waste”, i.e. when illegality reduces the rate of return of individual capabilities (i.e. skills and human capital) in both the labor and the financial markets of the country of destination. This proposition is first illustrated in a simple life-cycle framework, where illegality acts as a tax on skills, and then is tested on a sample of apprehended immigrants that crossed unlawfully the Italian borders in 2003. The estimation confirms that the intention to return to the home country is more likely for highly skilled than low-skill illegal immigrants. The presence of migration networks in the destination country may lower the skill-waste effect. The empirical result of this paper contrasts with the common wisdom on return decisions of legal migrants, according to which low-skill individuals are more likely to go back home rather than highly skilled migrants.