Three Essays on Migration, Migration Policies, and Migrants’ Integration

In many countries, migration is a high priority in both the public and political debate. Countries face continuous challenges to attract, retain and integrate migrants in their societies. In recent years, the economic crisis, the refugee crisis and the surge of populist movements and xenophobic violence have exposed countries to even bigger challenges. It is therefore crucial to understand what governments and societies can do to transform migration phenomena into opportunities for both destination and origin countries. In my dissertation I investigated empirically three topics in the economics of migration. First, the role of certificate recognition for the labor market integration of high-skilled migrants and the effects of a policy that facilitated certificate recognition for all immigrants. Second, the brain drain phenomenon and the effects of a policy that introduce tax incentives to return migration for high-skilled young Italian emigrants. Third, return intentions and labor market behaviors of immigrants, and the effects of home country socio-political conditions on these two outcomes. The dissertation aims at contributing to the growing literature on the economics of migration with novel findings on specific policies and channels, and to the policy debate on migration and integration policies.