Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Working Knowledge
Business Research for Business Leaders
  • Browse All Articles
  • Popular Articles
  • Cold Call Podcasts
  • About Us
  • Leadership
  • Marketing
  • Finance
  • Management
  • Entrepreneurship
  • All Topics...
  • Topics
    • COVID-19
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Finance
    • Gender
    • Globalization
    • Leadership
    • Management
    • Negotiation
    • Social Enterprise
    • Strategy
  • Sections
    • Book
    • Cold Call Podcast
    • HBS Case
    • In Practice
    • Lessons from the Classroom
    • Op-Ed
    • Research & Ideas
    • Research Event
    • Sharpening Your Skills
    • What Do You Think?
    • Working Paper Summaries
  • Browse All
    • COVID-19 Business Impact Center
      COVID-19 Business Impact Center
      Economic Impacts of Immigration: A Survey
      23 Oct 2008Working Paper Summaries

      Economic Impacts of Immigration: A Survey

      by Sari Pekkala Kerr and William R. Kerr
      International migration is a mighty force globally. According to United Nations statistics, over 175 million people, accounting for 3 percent of the world's population, live permanently outside their countries of birth. This paper surveys the economic impacts of immigration for host countries, mostly emphasizing the recent experiences of Northern Europe and Scandinavia. The paper documents how migrant flows to some countries within this region are now of similar magnitude to the United States. The authors discuss the impact of immigration on national labor markets in terms of both immigrant assimilation and possible native displacement. Their survey concludes with the impact of immigration on the public finances of host countries, which is of particular policy importance within Europe today given ageing populations and fiscal imbalances. Key concepts include:
      • The general view on immigration overstates the adverse effects of immigration on natives of the host countries in terms of labor market or wage displacement.
      • Immigrants' use of social benefits varies widely across countries, as does the degree of assimilation into or out of the host country's welfare system.
      • Immigration is generally viewed as a large fiscal burden for European public sectors (or as a possible savior if correctly harnessed). Most empirical studies, however, estimate the fiscal impacts of immigration to be relatively small.
      LinkedIn
      Email

      Author Abstract

      This paper surveys recent empirical studies on the economic impacts of immigration. The survey first examines the magnitude of immigration as an economic phenomenon in various host countries. The second part deals with the assimilation of immigrant workers into host-country labor markets and concomitant effects for natives. The paper then turns to immigration's impact for the public finances of host countries. The final section considers emerging topics in the study of immigration. The survey particularly emphasizes the recent experiences of Northern Europe and Scandinavia and relevant lessons from traditional destination countries like the U.S.

      Paper Information

      • Full Working Paper Text
      • Working Paper Publication Date: August 2008 (Revised February 2011)
      • HBS Working Paper Number: 09-013
      • Faculty Unit(s): Entrepreneurial Management
        Trending
          • 24 Oct 2016
          • Research & Ideas

          Bernie Madoff Explains Himself

          • 25 Feb 2019
          • Research & Ideas

          How Gender Stereotypes Kill a Woman’s Self-Confidence

          • 08 Mar 2021
          • In Practice

          COVID Killed the Traditional Workplace. What Should Companies Do Now?

          • 14 Apr 2021
          • Research & Ideas

          The High Cost of the Slow COVID Vaccine Rollout

          • 05 Apr 2021
          • What Do You Think?

          Why Can’t More Leaders Teach?

      William R. Kerr
      William R. Kerr
      Dimitri V. D'Arbeloff - MBA Class of 1955 Professor of Business Administration
      Unit Head, Entrepreneurial Management
      Contact
      Send an email
      → More Articles
      Find Related Articles
      • Economics
      • Europe
      • North & Central America
      • United States

      Sign up for our weekly newsletter

      Interested in improving your business? Learn about fresh research and ideas from Harvard Business School faculty.
      ǁ
      Campus Map
      Harvard Business School Working Knowledge
      Baker Library | Bloomberg Center
      Soldiers Field
      Boston, MA 02163
      Email: Editor-in-Chief
      →Map & Directions
      →More Contact Information
      • Make a Gift
      • Site Map
      • Jobs
      • Harvard University
      • Trademarks
      • Policies
      • Digital Accessibility
      Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College