New features in the migration-trade nexus: Historical country ties, profile of migrants and social integration effects

Resumen

The arrival of immigrants can help to improve the economy of host countries, for example, by creating new trade flows. In this paper, we introduce new features in the analysis of the migration-trade nexus that modulate traditional results in the literature. First, we test if historical migration corridors between countries influence the size of related trade effects. Second, we investigate the role of migrants´ profile in this process, including their level of education, language proficiency, and professional background. Third, we analyse how social integration of immigrants shape results of the model, according to their length of stay at receiving countries, their age at arrival, and their acquisition of citizenship. The research employs gravity equations with panel data, using France as an illustrative case study. Results help to provide several policy recommendations.