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On the Pro-Trade Effects of Immigrants

Author

Listed:
  • Massimiliano Bratti

    (University of Milan)

  • Luca de Benedictis

    (University of Macerata)

  • Gianluca Santoni

    (Fondazione Manlio Masi and University of Rome “Tor Vergata”)

Abstract
n this paper we investigate the causal effect of immigration on trade flows. We exploit the very favorable set-up offered by the Italian panel data — the fine geographical disaggregation (provinces, i.e., Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics 3 level — NUTS-3), the very high number of countries of origin of immigrants (‘super-diversity’), the high heterogeneity of social and economic characteristics of Italian provinces, and the absence of cultural (e.g. language) or historical (colonial ties) attractors for immigration to deal with the possible distortions generated by the choice of the areal unit (the so-called Modifiable Areal Unit Problem — MAUP), comparing estimates at the NUTS-2 and NUTS-3 geographical level; with unobserved heterogeneity, controlling for a wide set of fixed effects; with the endogeneity of immigrants\' location choices, using instruments based on immigrants\' enclaves. We find that immigrants have a significant positive effect on both exports and imports, much larger for the latter. The pro-trade effects of immigrants tend to decline in space, and even turn negative when large ethnic communities are located too far away from a specific province (via a trade-diversion effect). Finally, we give evidence of a substantial heterogeneity in the effects of immigrants: the impact on trade tends to be larger for immigrants coming from low-income countries, for earlier waves of immigrants and for the less advanced provinces of Southern Italy.

Suggested Citation

  • Massimiliano Bratti & Luca de Benedictis & Gianluca Santoni, 2012. "On the Pro-Trade Effects of Immigrants," Development Working Papers 347, Centro Studi Luca d'Agliano, University of Milano, revised 13 Nov 2012.
    • Handle: RePEc:csl:devewp:347
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Immigration; Trade; Gravity model; Super-diversity; MAUP; Transplanted-home bias effect; Business and social networks effects;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • R10 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - General

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