Publication: Migration and Asset Accumulation in South India: Comparing Gains to Internal and International Migration from Kerala
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2020-05
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2020-05-14
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This study examines the asset gains to households in Kerala, India, from two types of labor migration: moving overseas versus moving within India for employment. It draws on panel data from waves of a representative household survey conducted in 1998 and 2003. Migrant households as a whole experienced higher asset gains than non-migrant families over this five-year period. Contrary to theoretical expectations, asset gains were similar for households with an overseas migrant and those with a domestic migrant. Although less educated individuals tend to venture overseas, a wage premium over non-migrants enables them to earn as much in low-skill jobs abroad as more educated workers relocating within India can.
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“Seshan, Ganesh. 2020. Migration and Asset Accumulation in South India: Comparing Gains to Internal and International Migration from Kerala. Policy Research Working Paper;No. 9237. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/33746 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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