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The Effect on Immigration of Changes in Regulations and Policies: A Case Study
Author(s) -
Cappelen Ådne,
Skjerpen Terje
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
jcms: journal of common market studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.54
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1468-5965
pISSN - 0021-9886
DOI - 10.1111/jcms.12118
Subject(s) - immigration , net migration rate , counterfactual thinking , immigration policy , economics , demographic economics , distribution (mathematics) , population , income distribution , development economics , political science , population growth , demography , sociology , law , mathematical analysis , philosophy , mathematics , epistemology , inequality
Net migration has become the main factor driving N orwegian population growth. This article explores how changes in regulations and immigration policies have affected gross immigration to N orway. As in previous econometric studies, it finds that income differences and income distribution have a bearing on immigration, as well as aspects of the labour market. Various immigration policies have largely had the expected effects, and N orway's membership of the European economic area since 1994 and inclusion in the S chengen area in 2001 have resulted in higher immigration. The enlargement of the EU in 2004 and 2007 substantially increased immigration to N orway. By 2010, the EU ‐related changes in regulations increased total immigration by some 20 per cent compared to a counterfactual situation where N orway did not become party to either of these agreements. The partial and accumulated effect on the total population in N orway in 2010 is estimated to be about 2 per cent.