Immigrant Responses to Social Insurance Generosity

Bernt Bratsberg (), Oddbjørn Raaum and Knut Røed ()

Labour Economics, 2020, vol. 65, issue C

Abstract: Immigrants from low-income source countries tend to be underrepresented in employment and overrepresented in social insurance programs. Based on administrative data from Norway, we examine whether such gaps reflect systematic differences in impacts of social insurance benefits on work incentives. Drawing on a reform of the temporary disability insurance program, we identify negative employment and earnings effects of higher benefits. While behavioral responses are significantly larger for immigrants, these immigrant-native differentials are largely explained by differences in earnings prospects, family structure, and job opportunities. We also uncover cross effects of benefits on the labor supply of spouses, amplifying the adverse effects on family earnings.

Keywords: Immigrants; Labor supply; Social insurance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H53 J15 J22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Immigrant Responses to Social Insurance Generosity (2018)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:labeco:v:65:y:2020:i:c:s0927537120300580

DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2020.101854

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