The Abolition of Immigration Restrictions and the Performance of Firms and Workers: Evidence from Switzerland

Andreas Beerli, Jan Ruffner, Michael Siegenthaler and Giovanni Peri

No 25302, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We study a reform that granted European cross-border workers free access to the Swiss labor market and had a stronger effect on regions close to the border. The greater availability of cross-border workers increased foreign employment substantially. Although many cross-border workers were highly educated, wages of highly educated natives increased. The reason is a simultaneous increase in labor demand: the reform increased the size, productivity, and innovation performance of skill-intensive incumbent firms and attracted new firms, creating opportunities for natives to pursue managerial jobs. These effects are mainly driven by firms that reported skill shortages before the reform.

JEL-codes: F22 J22 J24 J61 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-bec, nep-eur, nep-int, nep-lab, nep-ltv and nep-mig
Note: ITI LS PR
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (33)

Published as Andreas Beerli & Jan Ruffner & Michael Siegenthaler & Giovanni Peri, 2021. "The Abolition of Immigration Restrictions and the Performance of Firms and Workers: Evidence from Switzerland," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 111(3), pages 976-1012, March.

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Related works:
Journal Article: The Abolition of Immigration Restrictions and the Performance of Firms and Workers: Evidence from Switzerland (2021)
Working Paper: The Abolition of Immigration Restrictions and the Performance of Firms and Workers: Evidence from Switzerland (2020)
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