Impacts of International Migration and Remittances

We use original 2005 survey data from Fiji and Tonga on remittances and household income to estimate the combined impact of migration and remittances on the composition of household income. A two-stage methodology is followed. A variable for the predicted number of migrants in each household is generated to control for selectivity in migration. This variable is then used in a 3SLS remittances and income equation system. In neither country do we observe significant impacts on agricultural cash income, but, in relation to other income sources, including subsistence agriculture, wages and non-agricultural business activities, some significant and different effects are found, both positive and negative. These findings suggest that the duration and intensity of remittance-driven migration, and the structure of economic activity within a community are important in understanding the influences of migration and remittances on household resource allocation and production decisions and on the community�s economic transformation.

Worker absence and shirking : evidence from matched teacher-school data.

We utilise a unique matched teacher-school data set of absenteeism records to quantify the impact of group interaction on the absence behavior of primary and secondary teachers. To address problems of identification our study focuses on teachers who move between schools. The estimates for movers suggest that absenteeism is influenced by prevailing group absence behaviour at the school. Our finding suggests that a worker takes one more day of absenteeism if their average coworker takes 12 more days or 8 more days absenteeism per quarter for primary school and secondary school teachers, respectively. We interpret this as evidence that worker shirking is influenced by workplace absence norms

Impacts of International Migration and Remittances on Source Country Household Incomes in Small Island States: Fiji and Tonga

We use original 2005 survey data from Fiji and Tonga on remittances and household income to estimate the combined impact of migration and remittances on the composition of household income. A two-stage methodology is followed. A variable for the predicted number of migrants in each household is generated to control for selectivity in migration. This variable is then used in a 3SLS remittances and income equation system. In neither country do we observe significant impacts on agricultural cash income, but, in relation to other income sources, including subsistence agriculture, wages and non-agricultural business activities, some significant and different effects are found, both positive and negative. These findings suggest that the duration and intensity of remittance-driven migration, and the structure of economic activity within a community are important in understanding the influences of migration and remittances on household resource allocation and production decisions and on the community's economic transformation

Overeducation and the Assimilation of Recently Arrived Immigrants: Evidence from Australia

Australian immigration policy, in common with the US and Canada, has increased the emphasis on skill based selection criteria. We examine immigrant overeducation in the early phases of settlement in Australia. In particular, we assess the role of visa category of entry and region of origin. In contrast to expectations, skill based visa immigrants did not experience markedly lower overeducation rates than those on family based visas. Whereas immigrants from Non-English Speaking Backgrounds, especially Asian, faced higher rates of overeducation. Overeducation translates into a earnings penalties. Based on the results in this study, the aggressive pursuit of skill based immigration policies may not lead to any substantial reduction in immigrant overeducation

Scarring, Habituation and Job Flexibility: Work histories in Secure and Insecure Employment

Increases in the use of fexible employment contracts create more frequent transitions between unemployment and employment. This paper analyses the impact of cumulative unemployment experiences on the life satisfaction of Australian male workers in flexible employment. Using panel data techniques, it was found that permanent contract workers were scarred by previous unemployment. This contrasted with flexible contract workers who seem habituated to the effects of past unemployment. Social norming effects were evident for permanent workers, unemployment scarred deeper when it was less of a general norm, this was not the case for casual workers. Flexible contract workers.habituation to past unemployment and lack of social norming could contribute to the process of social exclusion

An Investigation of the Magnitude of Educational Disadvantage Amongst Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Minority Groups in Australia

Indigenous minority groups in countries such as the US, Canada and Australia are amongst the most disadvantaged minority groups in the developed world. This disadvantage is strongly associated with 'pre-market' factors. This paper examines pre-market disadvantage of indigenous Australians by assessing academic performance at a relatively early age. We find that, when compared to non-indigenous Australians, indigenous Australians are already, on average, 1 year behind in academic achievement by the age of 10. Furthermore, their performance continues to deteriorate over the next two years of schooling. Only a limited proportion of their poor achievement can be accounted for by observable personal characteristics or unobservable variations in school and spatial characteristics

Paradox lost:disappearing female job satisfaction

The greater job satisfaction reported by female workers represents a puzzle given, on average, their worse labour market outcomes. Using the original data source of Clark (1997), we show that over the last two decades the female satisfaction gap has largely vanished. This reflects a strong secular decline in female job satisfaction. This decline happened for younger women in the 1990s as they aged and because of new female workers in more recent years that have lower job satisfaction than their early 1990s peers. Decompositions make clear that the decline does not reflect deteriorating job characteristics for women but rather their increasingly harsh evaluation of jobs characteristics. These findings fit with the suggestion that women in the early 1990s had a gap between their labour market expectations and actual experience that has since closed and that the gender satisfaction gap has vanished as a consequence

Immigrant overeducation : evidence from recent arrivals to Australia.

Australian immigration policy, in common with the US and Canada, has increased the emphasis on skill-based selection criteria. A key premise of this policy is that skilled immigrants are more employable and can add to the productive capacity of the economy. However, this effect will be diminished if immigrants are working in occupations that fail to utilise their skills. We examine the extent of overeducation for recently arrived immigrants to Australia. We find that they are more likely to be overeducated than the native population, even if they enter on skill assessed visas. Overeducation is greater for immigrants from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB) and generates lower returns to education. Tighter restrictions to welfare support on entry raised employment levels but increased overeducation. This will serve to reduce the potential productivity gains from skill biased immigration policies

The magnitude of educational disadvantage amongst indigenous minority groups in Australia.

Indigenous groups are amongst the most disadvantaged minority groups in the developed world. This paper examines the educational disadvantage of indigenous Australians by assessing academic performance at a relatively early age. We find that, by the age of 10, indigenous Australians are substantially behind non-indigenous Australians in academic achievement. Their relative performance deteriorates further over the next 2 years. School and locality do not appear to be important determinants of the indigenous to non-indigenous achievement gap. However, geographic remoteness, indigenous ethnicity and language use at home have a marked influence on educational achievement. A current focus of Australian indigenous policy is to increase school resources. Our results suggest that this will not eliminate indigenous educational disadvantage on its own