Immigrant’s Characteristics and their different effects on bilateral trade. Evidence from Spain

Jose Blanes

No 06.08, Working Papers from Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Department of Economics

Abstract: This paper tests for the impact of immigration on bilateral trade using Spanish data from 1995 to 2003. It also explores some possible mechanisms behind this link. It uses a gravity equation for trade augmented with an immigrants stock variable and a set of control variables. The immigrants variable enters the estimated equation in different ways depending on immigrant relevant characteristics both individual and non individual-specific. Results show that there is a positive link between immigration and both exports and imports. We find evidence for the trade transaction cost channel but not for the preference one. The mechanisms behind this link are the information effect – immigrant’s additional information about product and about social and political institutions - and the social o ethnic network effect - immigrants with a medium level of education and those related to business activities are the one who have a positive effect on bilateral trade.

Keywords: International Trade; Migration. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F10 F22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 38 pages
Date: 2006-03
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-int
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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http://www.upo.es/serv/bib/wps/econ0608.pdf First version, 2006 (application/pdf)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pab:wpaper:06.08

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