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IZA
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Immigrant Adjustment in France and Impacts on the Natives
by
Amelie F. Constant
(August 2003)
published in: K.F. Zimmermann (ed.), European Migration: What Do We Know, Oxford: OUP, 2005
Abstract:
The purpose of this paper is to study the immigrant performance in France and the impacts
on the natives by drawing on research findings from the existing academic literature on the
economics of French migration. The research questions are: how do immigrants fare with
respect to wages, employment, and occupational choices; are immigrants in competition with
the natives, and do they harm or improve the labour market situation of natives; does the
presence of immigrants alter the internal migration flows of natives; and what is the role of
the business cycle and natives’ sentiments on the immigrant flows? The studies reviewed
showed that while some immigrant groups are faring well, assimilation and intergenerational
mobility has not taken place to a full extent. Overall, immigrants hardly affect the wages and
employment levels of natives, and there are no significant displacement effects. However, the
social and cultural distance between immigrants and natives is crucial in natives’ sentiments.
Moreover, business cycles and labour market conditions play a significant role on migration.
In France of 2000, there remains a significant gap between policy goals and outcomes,
indicating that integration through cultural and political venues alone is not enough but should
be combined with a systematic treatment of the needs of the labour market. Lastly, there is
substantial need for further studies on immigrants in France.
Text: See Discussion Paper No. 866
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