Recipients of PSC Small Grant Awards

This research quantifies the effects of trade liberalization on local labor market outcomes and workers’ migration patterns in the context of Brazil’s 1987-1995 trade liberalization. Findings indicate that regions whose output faced a 10% larger liberalization-induced price decline experienced a 7% larger wage decline. In addition, liberalization resulted in a substantial shift in migration patterns. The most affected Brazilian states gained or lost approximately 2% of their populations as a result of liberalization-induced shifts in migration patterns. These results represent the first systematic evaluation of the effects of liberalization on internal migration.

Funding Source: Marshall Weinberg Research Fellowship