Return Migration: Theory and Empirical Evidence

Christian Dustmann and Yoram Weiss

No 702, CReAM Discussion Paper Series from Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM), Department of Economics, University College London

Abstract: In this paper we discuss forms of migration that are non-permanent. We focus on temporary migrations where the decision to return is taken by the immigrant. These migrations are likely to be frequent, and we provide some evidence for the UK. We then develop a simple model which rationalizes the decision of a migrant to return to his home country, despite a persistently higher wage in the host country. We consider three motives for a temporary migration: Differences in relative prices in host- and home country, complementarities between consumption and the location where consumption takes place, and the possibility of accumulating human capital abroad which enhances the immigrant's earnings potential back home. For the last return motive, we discuss extensions which allow for immigrant heterogeneity, and develop implications for selective in- and out- migration.

Keywords: Life Cycle Models; International Migration; Return Migration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D9 F22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ltv and nep-mig
Date: 2007-02
View list of references View citations in EconPapers

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.econ.ucl.ac.uk/cream/pages/CDP/CDP_02_07.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: http://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:crm:wpaper:0702

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in CReAM Discussion Paper Series from Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM), Department of Economics, University College London
Contact information at EDIRC.
Series data maintained by Qanitah Nasir ().