## Guatemala: Selected Issues Paper

_IMF Staff Country Reports, June 8, 2018_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Guatemala: Selected Issues Paper](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2018/06/08/guatemala-selected-issues-paper-45956)

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- [Markdown version](/en/publications/cr/issues/2018/06/08/guatemala-selected-issues-paper-45956/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/publications/cr/issues/2018/06/08/guatemala-selected-issues-paper-45956/index.json)
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## Bibliographic details
- Published: June 8, 2018
- Series: IMF Staff Country Reports
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781484360125.002

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### Key findings on remittances and household behavior
- Remittances are described as a structural feature of the Guatemala economy.
- In 2017, remittance flows accounted for over 11 percent of GDP.
- Remittances benefitted over 1.5 million of Guatemalan households.
- The paper estimates effects of remittances on labor supply and finds no evidence of remittance-induced work disincentives.

### Labor supply elasticity results
- Labor supply for members of remittance-receiving households is relatively more elastic compared with non-remittance-receiving households.
- Most pronounced effect observed for the 41-65 age group.
- Estimated elasticities:
  - A one percent increase in weekly wages leads to a 0.5 percent increase in weekly hours worked for members of remittance-receiving households.
  - A one percent increase in weekly wages leads to a 0.2 percent increase in weekly hours worked for members of non-remittance-receiving households.

### Scope and themes covered
- Subject areas listed: Balance of payments, Corruption, Crime, Income inequality, Inflation, National accounts, Personal income, Prices, Remittances.
- Keywords include: Central America, Corruption, CR, exchange rate depreciation, fixed capital capital formation, food inflation, Global, Income inequality, Inflation, inflation expectation, investment residual, ISCR, Personal income, reform proposal, remittance, Remittances, Western Hemisphere.

*Guatemala: Selected Issues Paper, IMF Staff Country Reports (June 8, 2018).*

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## Content in this bundle

- **Country Report**
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_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/cr/issues/2018/06/08/guatemala-selected-issues-paper-45956_