To the New World and Back Again: Return Migrants in the Age of Mass Migration

Ran Abramitzky, Leah Boustan and Katherine Eriksson ()

No 22659, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We compile large datasets from Norwegian and US historical censuses to study return migration during the Age of Mass Migration (1850-1913). Return migrants were somewhat negatively selected from the migrant pool: Norwegian immigrants who returned to Norway held slightly lower-paid occupations than Norwegian immigrants who stayed in the US, both before and after moving to the US. Upon returning to Norway, return migrants held higher-paid occupations than Norwegians who never moved, despite hailing from poorer backgrounds. They were also more likely to get married after return. These patterns suggest that despite being negatively selected, return migrants were able to accumulate savings and improve their economic circumstances once they returned home.

JEL-codes: J61 N31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-his, nep-lab and nep-mig
Note: DAE LS
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Published as Ran Abramitzky & Leah Boustan & Katherine Eriksson, 2019. "To the New World and Back Again: Return Migrants in the Age of Mass Migration," ILR Review, vol 72(2), pages 300-322.

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Journal Article: To the New World and Back Again: Return Migrants in the Age of Mass Migration (2019)
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