Informality over the life-cycle

Julien Albertini and Anthony Terriau

Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, 2019, vol. 105, issue C, 182-202

Abstract: In developing countries, informality is mainly concentrated among younger and older workers and low-skilled workers. In this study, we propose a dual labor market theory that highlights how frictions and taxation in the formal sector and educational choices interact to shape the informality rate over the life-cycle. We develop a life-cycle model with search frictions, skill heterogeneities, and endogenous educational choices. We carry out a numerical analysis and show that our model reproduces remarkably well the life-cycle patterns of informality, non-employment, and formal employment in Argentina. We analyze several public policies and show that an educational grant reduces both informality and non-employment and may be fully financed by the extra tax revenues generated by the increase in formal employment and wages. Lowering taxes may achieve similar results but is detrimental to the government budget, despite increasing the base on which they are levied.

Keywords: Informality; Search and matching; Life-cycle; Public policy; Laffer curve (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E26 J46 J64 O17 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Informality over the life-cycle (2019)
Working Paper: Informality over the life-cycle (2018)
Working Paper: Informality over the life-cycle (2018)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:dyncon:v:105:y:2019:i:c:p:182-202

DOI: 10.1016/j.jedc.2019.06.007

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