The relationship between COVID-19 entry restrictions and immigration

Youngook Jang () and Donghee Joe ()
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Youngook Jang: KOREA INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY (KIEP), Postal: [30147] Building C Sejong National Research Complex 370 Sicheong-daero Sejong-si Korea,, https://www.kiep.go.kr/eng/
Donghee Joe: JEONBUK NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, Postal: 567 Baekje-daero Deokjin-gu Jeonju-si Jeollabuk-do Republic of Korea(Geumam-dong Chonbuk National University),, https://www.jbnu.ac.kr/eng/

No 23-4, Working Papers from Korea Institute for International Economic Policy

Abstract: In this paper, we investigate the relationship between COVID-19 entry restrictions and dependence on immigrants. In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, countries worldwide implemented international travel restrictions to reduce the entry of infected individuals. These measures included entry and exit bans, mandatory quarantine of travelers, and vaccination requirements, significantly altering global mobility patterns. Despite their proven effectiveness, entry restrictions also impose substantial economic costs, particularly evident in the form of reduced immigration and subsequent labor shortages in sectors reliant on immigrant labor. We introduce a theoretical framework to shed light on the factors influencing the determination of entry restrictions, encompassing both health and economic considerations. Empirical analyses reveal that countries heavily dependent on foreign labor are inclined to adopt less stringent border controls, balancing the economic costs associated with reduced immigrant workforce. Moreover, we argue that the strength of entry restrictions is determined by a government’s capacity to manage infection waves through means other than entry bans. Finally, we offer policy implications based on our research, on how to control the spread of infectious diseases while minimizing the costs imposed by reducing immigration and the cost imposed on the immigrants themselves.

Keywords: India; Trade; Investment; Causality test; COVID-19; entry restrictions; immigration policy; immigrant workforce (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F22 I18 J61 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 30 pages
Date: 2023-12-29
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea, nep-int and nep-mig
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ris:kiepwp:2023_004

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