• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

G²LM|LIC

  • About
    • History
    • Investigators
    • Team
  • Projects
    • GLM|LIC
      • Agricultural Labour Markets
      • Gender and Employment
      • Labour Markets in Low-Income Countries
      • Migration
      • Skill Training
    • G²LM|LIC
      • Fact & Policy
      • Fertility & Labour markets
      • Barriers to gender parity
      • The Future of Work
      • Policies & Welfare
    • COVID-19
  • Publications
    • Policy Briefs
    • Synthesis Papers
    • Working Papers
    • Published Articles
    • Book
    • Datasets
  • Events
  • Evidence Finder
  • Call for Proposals
GLM|LIC Synthesis Paper No. 8

Deterring Emigration with Foreign Aid

An Overview of Evidence from Low-Income Countries

In response to the recent migrant and refugee crisis, rich countries have redoubled policy efforts to deter future immigration from poor countries by addressing the “root causes” of migration. We review existing evidence on the effectiveness of such efforts. First, aid disbursements do not generally follow “root causes” rhetoric. The sectoral distribution of aid to migrant-origin countries does not significantly differ from its distribution in other countries. Second, the evidence suggests that aid’s capacity to deter migration is small at best. Aid can only encourage economic growth, employment, and security to a limited degree. Beyond this, successful development in almost all formerly-poor countries has produced an increase in emigration. Third, this evidence implies that donors could achieve greater impact by leveraging foreign aid not to deter migration but to shape it for mutual benefit.

GLM|LIC Synthesis Paper No. 8

Deterring Emigration with Foreign Aid An Overview of Evidence from Low-Income Countries

  • Michael A. Clemens,Hannah M. Postel
Download the PDF

Primary Sidebar

COVID-19 Jobs of the World

News from our Twitter Account

  • Wonderful initiative by @FCDOGovUK, check it out 👇 https://t.co/a4kndIgCaH March 9, 2023 10:06 am
  • In celebration of the #IWD, please check out the @GLMLIC project about achieving women’s #Empowerment through polic… https://t.co/Exz2idzLrM March 8, 2023 2:28 pm
  • 📢📢 Call for proposals alert! Large- and small research grants are offered on issues related to gender, labor and gr… https://t.co/Z1tMxQl5ST February 13, 2023 8:05 pm
Twitter

Footer

IZA Logo

Established in 1998 in Bonn, Germany, IZA is an independent, non-profit research institution supported by the Deutsche Post Foundation with a focus on the analysis of global labour markets. It operates an international network of about 1,500 economists and researchers spanning across more than 50 countries.

Based on academic excellence and an ambitious publication strategy, IZA serves as a place of communication between academic science and political practice.

DFID Logo

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) leads the UK's work to end extreme poverty. We're ending the need for aid by creating jobs, unlocking the potential of girls and women, and helping to save lives when humanitarian emergencies hit.

FCDO is a ministerial department, supported by 12 agencies and public bodies.

© 2012–2023 | IZA – Institute of Labor Economics | Code of Conduct | Imprint