Fiscal effects of migrants in Europe: a quantile regression approach

E-print/Working paper (2020)

In this paper, we explore the fiscal impact of immigrants in Europe applying a quantile regression approach to data from the European Survey on Living Conditions (EU-SILC) for the period 2007-2015. Our ... [more ▼]

In this paper, we explore the fiscal impact of immigrants in Europe applying a quantile regression approach to data from the European Survey on Living Conditions (EU-SILC) for the period 2007-2015. Our estimations show that not only on average but also in almost all income quantiles, the fiscal position of both European and non-European migrants is not significantly different from that of native citizens. Furthermore, non-EU migrants are net contributors as compared to the corresponding native citizens in the Netherlands and Belgium for various quantiles. Lastly, we examine the link between migrants’ fiscal position and the fiscal perception of native European citizens measured using ESS data. We find a conflicting relationship: countries where migrants are perceived negatively are instead countries where they are net fiscal contributors and vice versa. [less ▲]

Body mass index and social interactions from adolescence to adulthood

in Spatial Economic Analysis (2019)

A dynamic linear-in-means model is applied in order to analyse the importance of social ties for the body weight-related behaviour of US youth. The methodology shows how to estimate peer effects free of ... [more ▼]

A dynamic linear-in-means model is applied in order to analyse the importance of social ties for the body weight-related behaviour of US youth. The methodology shows how to estimate peer effects free of the ‘reflection problem’ in a dynamic context where individual and group-specific unobservable effects are controlled for. The results show that the main drivers for the body weight-related behaviour are past and peer effects. For individuals who were normal weight or obese during adolescence, past and peer effects are shown to be both relevant. Peer effects, instead, explain more the variation in the body mass index (BMI) for individuals who were overweight during adolescence, showing in this way the importance of social interactions for body weight-related behaviour. [less ▲]

Risk Preferences and Refugee Migration

Presentation (2019, March 22)

Risk Preferences and Refugee Migration

Scientific Conference (2018, September)

Measuring Fiscal Effects of Immigration In Europe: A quantile Approach

Scientific Conference (2018, June)

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the fiscal impact of immigration in Europe using a quantile regression approach. These estimation methods provide a richer characterization of the data ... [more ▼]

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the fiscal impact of immigration in Europe using a quantile regression approach. These estimation methods provide a richer characterization of the data, allowing us to consider the impact of a co-variate (which one) on the entire distribution and not merely its conditional mean. Using data from European Survey on Living Conditions (EU-SILC), we estimate the net fiscal position of immigrants in Europe between 2007-2015. The net fiscal position is the difference between social services obtained and personal taxes paid leading to be either a fiscal contributor or a fiscal dependent. On average, the fiscal impact of both European and non-European migrants is not different from that of native citizens. Surprisingly, when using a quantile approach, we find that non-EU migrants belonging to the upper tail of the distribution and to the lowest one, are much more contributors as compared with the corresponding native citizens. At last, we find a very contrasting relationship between the fiscal perception of European citizens regarding immigrants and the calculated fiscal impact of immigrants: countries, where immigrants are perceived negatively, are instead countries where migrants are net fiscal contributors and vice-versa [less ▲]

Risk and Refugee Migration

E-print/Working paper (2018)

This paper uses the experimental setup of Tanaka et al. (2010) to measure refugees’ risk preferences. A sample of 206 asylum seekers was interviewed in 2017-18 in Luxembourg. Contrary to studies which ... [more ▼]

This paper uses the experimental setup of Tanaka et al. (2010) to measure refugees’ risk preferences. A sample of 206 asylum seekers was interviewed in 2017-18 in Luxembourg. Contrary to studies which focus on risk aversion in general, we analyze its components using a cumulative prospect theory (CPT) framework. We show that refugees exhibit particularly low levels of risk aversion compared to other populations and that CPT provides a better fit for modelling risk attitudes. Moreover, we include randomised temporary treatments provoking emotions and find a small significant impact on probability distortion. Robustness of the Tanaka et al. (2010) experimental framework is confirmed by including treatments regarding the embedding effect. Finally, we propose a theoretical model of refugee migration that integrates the insights from our experimental outcomes regarding the functional form of refugees’ decision under risk and the estimated parameter values. The model is then simulated using the data from our study. [less ▲]

Testing the discrimination hypothesis for female self employment migrants in the UK

in IAFFE (Ed.) Books of Abstracts (2017, July 01)

We propose a comparative analysis of migrants in both sectors (employment and self-employment) exploring the gender earning discrimination hypothesis. Using individual micro data from the British ... [more ▼]

We propose a comparative analysis of migrants in both sectors (employment and self-employment) exploring the gender earning discrimination hypothesis. Using individual micro data from the British Household Panel Survey (1991-2008), we estimate wage equations for employed and self-employed migrants and find that, contrary to our expectations, the average earnings gap in self-employment is almost double compared to the employment sector. This finding reveals that self-employment leads migrant women to an even more precarious and vulnerable position in terms of financial means and economic power. In addition, we explore the determinants of these gaps using the econometric procedure of the decomposition (the Blinder-Oaxaca) model. We find that the variables that explain the gender gap in the employment sector are mostly observable individual characteristics like education or migration duration, confirming the human capital theory, whereas in the self-employment sector, this gap is more due to unobservable individual characteristics. Through our work, we show that including the gender perspective into migration analysis has implications for policy makers enabling them to evaluate these processes from a more social (rather than individualistic) dimension. [less ▲]

Measuring fiscal effects of migrants in EU

Scientific Conference (2017, May)

Do the Ethnic Networks Influence Circular Migration? Evidence from the UK

in Applied Economics Letters (2017)

This article identifies ethnic network effects among temporary migrants in the UK. Using microdata from Understanding Society and the UK Census, the empirical results show that ethnic networks change the ... [more ▼]

This article identifies ethnic network effects among temporary migrants in the UK. Using microdata from Understanding Society and the UK Census, the empirical results show that ethnic networks change the individual probability for circular migration. These effects are strong and significant only for some ethnicities, when controlling for a set of socio-economic characteristics 10 and when adding spatial variability. [less ▲]

Gender Gaps in Social Capital: a theoretical interpretation of evidence from Italy

in Feminist Economics (2017), 23(2), 147-171

This study uses the Italian data from the Multiscopo surveys of 1997 and 2011 to assess differences in life-cycle accumulation of social capital by sex and age. First, the study identifies some crucial ... [more ▼]

This study uses the Italian data from the Multiscopo surveys of 1997 and 2011 to assess differences in life-cycle accumulation of social capital by sex and age. First, the study identifies some crucial aspects regarding the definition and measurement of social capital: individual versus collective dimension, different typologies of social capital, and the fact that the literature often deals with women in social capital but seldom with gender. Second, using a regression analysis with cross-sectional data, it shows that social capital accumulation along the life cycle is different for men and women, with men accumulating more social capital at all ages, with a different peak and overall profile. The study also shows that, over fifteen years, the gap in social capital by sex narrowed. Finally, it introduces a model of social capital structure compatible with the empirical evidence and with notions of gender as defined in feminist literature. [less ▲]