JRG: Migration and the welfare state: migration models, fiscal effects, acceptance, and institutional adaptability
Migration poses major challenges to welfare states in Germany and Europe. On the one hand, migration offers a great opportunity to mitigate the costs of demographic change for the welfare state and thus to defuse distributional conflicts. On the other hand, for example due to imperfect integration of migrants into the labour market, migration can also increase welfare costs. In addition, welfare state regulations themselves might influence the scope and structure of migration and thus its impact on the economy and public finances. After all, the acceptance of migration depends largely on welfare transfers to immigrants. However, a comprehensive analysis of the interaction between migration and the capacity of modern welfare states is still lacking.
Against this background, the research project seeks to answer the following questions: (1) What effects does migration have on the fiscal balance of the welfare state, under various assumptions about the scope and structure of migration and welfare state regulations? (2) How do different welfare state regulations affect the scope and structure of migration? (3) What are the consequences of the contributions of migrants to the fiscal balance of the welfare state and welfare transfers to immigrants for the acceptance and legitimacy of migration? (4) How adaptable are different welfare state and migration regimes in terms of migration?
Migration poses major challenges to welfare states in Germany and Europe. On the one hand, migration offers a great opportunity to mitigate the costs of demographic change for the welfare state and thus to defuse distributional conflicts. On the other hand, for example due to imperfect integration of migrants into the labour market, migration can also increase welfare costs. In addition, welfare state regulations themselves might influence the scope and structure of migration and thus its impact on the economy and public finances. After all, the acceptance of migration depends largely on welfare transfers to immigrants. However, a comprehensive analysis of the interaction between migration and the capacity of modern welfare states is still lacking.
Against this background, the research project seeks to answer the following questions: (1) What effects does migration have on the fiscal balance of the welfare state, under various assumptions about the scope and structure of migration and welfare state regulations? (2) How do different welfare state regulations affect the scope and structure of migration? (3) What are the consequences of the contributions of migrants to the fiscal balance of the welfare state and welfare transfers to immigrants for the acceptance and legitimacy of migration? (4) How adaptable are different welfare state and migration regimes in terms of migration?
Financer
Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Sozialordnung
Duration of project
Start date: 07/2019
End date: 06/2024
Research Areas
Integration, Migration, Integrationspolitik, Migration, Migration und Integration
