Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/36162 
Year of Publication: 
2009
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 4541
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
The aim of this paper is to investigate whether return migrants are more likely to become entrepreneurs than non-migrants. We develop a theoretical search model that puts forward the trade off faced by returnees since overseas migration provides an opportunity for human and physical capital accumulation but, at the same time, may lead to a loss of social capital back home. We test the predictions of the model using data from Egypt. We find that, even after controlling for the endogeneity of the temporary migration decision, an overseas returnee is more likely to become an entrepreneur than a non-migrant. Although migrants lose their original social networks whilst overseas, savings and human capital accumulation acquired abroad over-compensate for this loss. Our results also suggest that social networks have no significant impact on becoming entrepreneurs for returnees but matter for non-migrants.
Subjects: 
Social capital
entrepreneurship
selection
savings
JEL: 
L26
O12
O15
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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