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Jackline Wahba

University of Southampton, UK, and IZA, Germany

I'm happy to be a part of this innovative project. I hope that policymakers and academics will find World of Labor a useful way to quickly learn the latest state of research on a wide range of issues in labor policy

IZA World of Labor role

Author

Current position

Professor of Economics, University of Southampton

Research interest

Labor economics, development economics

Website

http://bit.ly/Wahba_Southampton

Positions/functions as a policy advisor

Member of the UK Migration Advisory Committee

Past positions

Associate Professor in Economics, University of Southampton, 2006–2012

Qualifications

PhD Economics, University of Southampton, 1994

Selected publications

  • “Do high-income or low-income immigrants leave faster?” Journal of Development Economics 108 (2014): 54–68 (with G. Bijwaard).

  • “The impact of labor market dynamics on the return-migration of immigrants.” The Review of Economics and Statistics 96:3 (2014): 483–494 (with G. Bijwaard and C. Schluter).

  • “Density, social networks and job search methods: Theory and application to Egypt.” Journal of Development Economics 78:2 (2005): 443–473 (with Y. Zenou).

  • “Overseas work experience, savings and entrepreneurship amongst return migrants to LDCs.” The Scottish Journal of Political Economy 48:2 (2001): 164–178 (with B. McCormick).

  • “Overseas employment and remittances to a dual economy.” The Economic Journal 110:463 (2000): 509–534 (with B. McCormick).

article(s)

  • Who benefits from return migration to developing countries? Updated

    Despite returnees being a potential resource, not all low- and middle-income countries benefit from their return

    Jackline Wahba, December 2021
    Return migration can have multiple benefits. It allows migrants who have accumulated savings abroad to ease credit constraints at home and set up a business. Also, emigrants from low- and middle-income countries who have invested in their human capital may earn higher wages when they return. However, whether the home country benefits from return migrants depends on the migrant's success in accumulating savings and human capital and on the home country's ability to make use of returnees’ skills and investment. To benefit from returnees, home countries need policies that encourage returnees’ investment and labor market reintegration.
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