South-South migration and the labor market: Evidence from South Africa

Anna Maria Mayda, Giovanni Facchini and Mariapia Mendola

No 9450, CEPR Discussion Papers from C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers

Abstract: Using census data for 1996, 2001 and 2007 we study the labor market effect of immigration to South Africa. The paper contributes to a small but growing literature on the impact of South-South migration by looking at one of the most attractive destinations for migrant workers in Sub--Saharan Africa. We exploit the variation -- both at the district level and at the national one -- in the share of foreign--born male workers across schooling and experience groups over time. At the district level, we estimate that increased immigration has a negative and significant effect on natives' employment rates -- and that this effect is more negative for skilled and white South African native workers -- but not on total income. These results are robust to using an instrumental variable estimation strategy. At the national level, we find that increased immigration has a negative and significant effect on natives' total income but not on employment rates. Our results are consistent with outflows of natives to other districts as a consequence of migration, as in Borjas (2006).

Keywords: Immigration; Labor market effects; South Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F22 J61 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr, nep-int, nep-lab, nep-mig and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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Related works:
Journal Article: South–South migration and the labor market: evidence from South Africa (2018)
Working Paper: South-South migration and the labor market: Evidence from South Africa (2013)
Working Paper: South-South Migration and the Labor Market: Evidence from South Africa (2013)
Working Paper: South-South Migration and the Labor Market: Evidence from South Africa (2012)
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