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

Ran Abramitzky, Leah Boustan, Katherine Eriksson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

The authors compile large data sets from Norwegian and US historical censuses to study return migration during the Age of Mass Migration (1850–1913). Norwegian immigrants who returned to Norway held lower-paid occupations than did Norwegian immigrants who stayed in the United States, both before and after their first transatlantic migration, suggesting they were negatively selected from the migrant pool. Upon returning to Norway, return migrants held higher-paid occupations relative to Norwegians who never moved, despite hailing from poorer backgrounds. These patterns suggest that despite being negatively selected, return migrants had been able to accumulate savings and could improve their economic circumstances once they returned home.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)300-322
Number of pages23
JournalILR Review
Volume72
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1 2019

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Management of Technology and Innovation
  • Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management
  • Strategy and Management

Keywords

  • employment effects of migration/immigration
  • immigrants
  • immigration
  • immigration and labor markets
  • migration

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