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Is immigration necessary for Italy? Is it desirable?

Author

Listed:
  • Luigi Bonatti

    (University of Trento)

Abstract
A peculiarity of the Italian socio-economic model is the pathological coexistence of migrants undertaking low value-added activities with a large number of natives out of employment (particularly in the South). Perpetuating this model consolidates an ample underclass of poor migrants, thus fueling inequalities and social tensions. It also feeds the discontent among low-income Italians who cannot find acceptable jobs and therefore ask for assistance. The net lifetime contribution to the public finances of migrants precariously employed in badly-paid jobs is unlikely to be positive. Moreover, an abundance of migrants, largely unskilled and with a low reservation wage, favours the ‘‘lock-in’’ of the Italian economy along its current trajectory, characterised by relatively few technologically advanced firms. The policies advocated here should increase the natives’ employment rate by making activities now undertaken by migrants more appealing, in the expectation that easier access to acceptable jobs would raise the fertility rate among young Italians.

Suggested Citation

  • Luigi Bonatti, 2019. "Is immigration necessary for Italy? Is it desirable?," Rivista Internazionale di Scienze Sociali, Vita e Pensiero, Pubblicazioni dell'Universita' Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, vol. 127(2), pages 127-143.
    • Handle: RePEc:vep:journl:y:2019:v:127:i:2:p:127-143
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    Cited by:

    1. d'Agostino, Giorgio & Pieroni, Luca & Scarlato, Margherita, 2022. "Italy: No country for highly educated immigrant workers," MPRA Paper 112956, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Migrants; Employment rate; Natives’ fertility rate; Lifetime fiscal contribution; Structural change;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General
    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

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