The Causal Effect of Migration on Income and Attitudes: Intergenerational Evidence from Turkish Migration to Europe

What is the direct effect of migration on migrants? What is the impact on the children of migrants? How did the life of the migrants and their descendants change by completely moving their life to another country, hence by switching their socioeconomic ladder? In this research, I aim to answer these questions by investigating the Turkish migration to Europe that started in 1960’s and led millions to migrate. To this end, I use a unique data set that surveys 4 generations of 2000 Turkish families in a way that allows comparisons between migrants and stayers. I compare siblings and children of siblings that have different migration status to make a causal analysis by eliminating household selection. I investigate effects on income, health, life satisfaction, religiosity, attitudes and education. Overall, I find positive and significant returns on the income of migrants, and evidence of weakening of bonds with their religious community. Interestingly, migrants are more likely to vote for AKP then their stayer siblings. Children of migrants exhibit higher welfare; they report more health, life satisfaction and education.