Migration and Human Capital Formation: Theory and Evidence From the U.S. High School Movement

July 1, 2002

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Format: Chicago

Rodney Ramcharan. Migration and Human Capital Formation: Theory and Evidence From the U.S. High School Movement, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2002) accessed September 20, 2024

Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary

In 1910, 12 percent of American 14-17 year olds were enrolled in high school; by 1930, enrollment had increased to 50 percent; enrollment in Britain was 12 percent in 1950. This paper argues that by increasing the skill premium, the massive inflows of European unskilled immigrants at the turn of the twentieth century engendered America's sharp rise in human capital investment. The increased enrollments raised the supply of schools, leading to continued schooling investment. Cross section evidence and a VAR analysis of the time series data support the hypothesized role of immigration in generating the high school movement.

Subject: Education, Expenditure, Labor, Migration, Population and demographics, Skilled labor, Unskilled labor

Keywords: Europe, Factor movements, Human capital formation, Immigration flow, Migration, Population movement, Private cost, Skill premium, Skilled labor, Standard deviation, Time series, WP

Publication Details

Pages:

39
Volume:

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DOI:

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Issue:

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Series:

Working Paper No. 2002/123
Stock No:

WPIEA1232002
ISBN:

9781451854626
ISSN:

1018-5941

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