International Migration and Economic Development: Lessons from Low-Income Countries

Amidst mounting global policy attention directed toward international migration, this book offers an exhaustive review of the issues and evidence linking economic development in low-income countries with their migration experiences. The diversity of outcomes is explored in the context of; migration from East Europe and from the Maghreb to the EU; contract labor from South Asia in the Persian Gulf; highly skilled migrants moving to North America; and labor circulation within East Asia.Labor market responses at home, the brain drain, remittances, the roles of a diaspora, and return migration are each addressed, as well as an exploration of the effects of economic development upon migration and the implications of long-term dependence on a migration nexus. Robert Lucas concludes with an assessment of the winners and losers in the migration process, both at home and in the destination regions, before summarizing the main policy options open to both. This accessible and topical book offers invaluable insights to policy makers in both industrialized and developing countries as well as to scholars and researchers of economics, development, international relations and to specialists in migration.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Part I: Introduction 1. The Context 2. The Determinants of Migration: Controls, Pressures and Outcomes Part II: Consequences for Economic Development in the Countries of Origin 3. Labor Market Responses to Emigration 4. Emigration of the Highly Skilled: Regimes, Costs and Responses 5. Reported and Informal Remittances: How Much? Who Sends? Who Benefits? 6. The Diaspora and Transnational Networks 7. Repeat and Return Migration: A Habit or ‘There and Back Again’ 8. Poverty, Inequality and the Social Impacts of Migration Part III: Conclusions: Policy Choices and the Political Economy of Migrations Regimes 9. Who Benefits from International Migration? Beyond Economic Development at Origin 10. Migration Regimes and Economic Development: Policy Implications References Index

About the Author :
Robert E.B. Lucas, Professor of Economics, Boston University, US

Review :
'The book helps readers and policymakers to learn and think about the current status of complicated changing international migration and links with economic development in many countries and regions of the world.'- Yasuko Hayase, The Developing Economies'Lucas provides a substantial contribution to our understanding of the effect of international migration on economic development as it exists at the turn of the millennium. He takes a remarkably even-handed approach to addressing the complex issues that surround migration and development today; seemingly willing to learn the truth no matter where it leads on this politically controversial issue. This impartial treatise will be useful to anyone studying migration, international labor markets, or economic development.'- Kirk, Dameron, Journal of Economic Issues'A book on this subject is especially timely in the light of recent high-level policy interest in migration and its consequences... Lucas adroitly steers the reader through an impressive array of facts and findings, theories and hypotheses, setting out the issues and evaluating the empirical results... Robert Lucas has provided us with a thoughtful, balanced and objective account, which should be read by all those who are interested in the links between migration and development.'- Timothy J. Hatton, Economic Record'Robert Lucas has given us an instructive, up-to-date and cogent account of the effects of international migration on economic development. Using the contrasting cases of the European Union, the Gulf States, East Asia and North America he shows how sending countries experience divergent economic effects, depending on whether their emigrants depart, retain diasporic links or return. It is a particular treat to acknowledge a professional economist who has absorbed the key literature on transnational migration generated outside his field. With migration looming large on national and international policy agendas, this book deserves wide notice.'- Robin Cohen, University of Warwick, UK'This is a highly topical book. Questions of how to combat poverty and promote development in low-income countries are high on the global policy agenda, and so are issues of international migration. Robert E.B. Lucas' study is one of the first attempts to address the relationship between migration and development in such a broad and ambitious format. The result is impressive - a well-crafted and systematic analysis, rich in empirical detail and conveyed with a great sensitivity to the complexities and controversies faced both by researchers and policymakers. We may expect this work to be a major point of reference for a worldwide debate that has only just started.'- Jan O. Karlsson former Swedish Minister for Development and Migration and current Co-Chair of an independent Global Commission on International Migration (GCIM) in Geneva