Measurement, drivers, and consequences of international migration: essays in migration economics

Migration is one of the most divisive challenges of modern societies. Not only forced migration due to war, violence, and deteriorating environmental conditions, but also 'regular' labor migration plays an essential role. Rapidly emerging economies and aging industrialized countries are in great need of foreign labor, either to expand or to maintain their economic development. Migrants who face comparatively low wages at home can benefit from this demand by realizing higher returns to their skills abroad. Increasing rates of globalization and market interdependence facilitate the resulting labor flows.
This dissertation enhances the understanding of the measurement, drivers, and consequences of international migration from an economic perspective. The dissertation focuses on three objectives. The first objective, relating to the measurement of migration, is to outline the advantages and disadvantages of different ways of measuring international migration flows.
The second objective, relating to the drivers of migration, is to describe which factors explain the size and direction of international migration flows. While also touching on typical drivers of migration, such as income, migrant networks, and distance, the dissertation focuses, in particular, on cultural similarities between countries.
The third objective, relating to the consequences of migration, is to characterize the impact that migration or migration-related phenomena have on the economic outcomes of those affected. Here, the dissertation highlights two separate aspects: first, the effect of negative stereotypes on the behavior of migrants vs non-migrants, and second, the impact of remittances on the economic development of the sending countries.