Understanding migrant heterogeneity

People migrate for multiple reasons and under very different circumstances. Studies quantifying the outcomes and impacts of migration in the UK typically treat migrants as a homogenous group. For example, several post-EU referendum analyses explored the role of migration as a driver of the Brexit vote by looking at the correlation between the share of the population that was foreign-born in a given area and support for leaving the EU. However, these analyses include all foreign-born in the same basket. That is, medical students from India count the same way as refugees from Somalia and Polish construction workers. This seminar will explain how accounting for heterogeneity of reason for migration into the country can lead to very different conclusions regarding the outcomes and impacts of migrants in the UK.