DP5559 Does Migration Empower Married Women?

Author(s): Natalie Chen , Paola Conconi , Carlo Perroni

Publication Date: March 2006

Keyword(s): international migration , gender discrimination , renegotiation

JEL(s): D1 , F2

Programme Areas: International Trade and Regional Economics , Labour Economics

Link to this Page: www.cepr.org/pubs/dps/DP5559.asp

Differences in gender-based labour market discrimination across countries imply that migration may affect husbands and wives differently. If migrant wives experience a relative improvement in their labour market position, bargaining theory suggests that they should experience comparatively larger gains. However, if renegotiation possibilities are limited by institutional mechanisms that achieve long-term commitment, the opposite may be true, particularly if women are specialized in household activities and the labour market allows more flexibility in their labour supply choices. Evidence from the German Socio-Economic Panel indeed shows that, as long as renegotiation opportunities are limited, comparatively better wages for migrant women lead them to bear the double burden of market and household work.