Does Immigration Affect Native Wages? A Meta-Analysis
Clément Nedoncelle
Léa Marchal
Amandine Aubry
Jérôme Héricourt
Clément Nedoncelle
Léa Marchal
Amandine Aubry
Jérôme Héricourt

- This meta-analysis synthesises findings from 88 studies published between 1985 and 2023, providing a comprehensive assessment of reduced-form estimates of the wage effect of immigration.
- Our results show that the average wage effect is centred around zero, with substantial heterogeneity across studies.
- We highlight the critical role of contexts and methodological choices in shaping wage estimates.
- Our findings emphasise the need for replication studies and greater transparency in methodological choices.

The impact of immigration on native workers’ wages has been a long-standing debate in labour and international economics. This meta-analysis synthesises findings from 88 studies published between 1985 and 2023, providing a comprehensive assessment of reduced-form estimates of the wage effect of immigration. Our results align with the existing literature, showing that the average wage effect is centred around zero, with substantial heterogeneity across studies. We highlight the critical role of contexts and methodological choices in shaping wage estimates. In particular, we find that shift-share instrumental variables correct for an upward bias of the OLS. Our findings emphasise the need for replication studies and greater transparency in methodological choices.


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