Import Shocks and Gendered Labor Market Responses: Evidence from Mexico

Pia Heckl

Labour Economics, 2024, vol. 88, issue C

Abstract: This paper studies gender differences in labor market responses of workers in Mexico to trade liberalization with China. To measure exposure to import competition, I exploit variation in the initial industry structure of Mexican local labor markets. I show that aggregate outcomes mask heterogeneous responses based on gender. Both women and men experience lower growth in employment shares but the change in the labor force participation rate is negatively affected for men and positively affected for women. Further analysis shows that women move into self-employment and that informal employment acts as a “buffer” to attenuate negative employment effects, especially for male workers.

Keywords: Import shock; Gender inequality; Labor market; Informal work; Mexico (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F16 J16 J21 J46 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:labeco:v:88:y:2024:i:c:s0927537124000319

DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2024.102536

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