Daliah Al-Shakhshir 

Job Market Paper

Development Effects of Social Eligibility Criteria for Temporary Migration [draft coming soon]

Temporary migration offers a pathway to higher income, but can be disruptive to communities of origin. I investigate distortions in origin communities that arise in response to social eligibility criteria that gatekeep access to those opportunities. Specifically, I study the effects of age and marital status eligibility requirements in the case of commuting Palestinian migrant labor to Israel. I rely on drops in the minimum age threshold while holding marriage fixed, and regional variation in exposure to the policy to first show that men bring forward their timing of marriage in line with changes in the age threshold in more highly exposed areas. Second, I find that women, nonparticipants in the work permit program, are more likely to get married earlier, have children earlier, and register declines in educational attainment in those same areas. I do not find effects on their labor market status. These findings demonstrate how policies can generate pernicious unintended consequences beyond their immediate sphere of influence, and, by extension, the need to account for them when designing and implementing policy. 

Works in Progress 

Reducing Adverse Outcomes for Migrant Workers in the Arabian Gulf: An Information and Monitoring Approach 

(with Travis Baseler)

Millions of low-income workers migrate internationally on short-term guest worker contracts each year. These jobs typically offer wages substantially higher than what is available in the home country, but many migrants face the risk of abuse or forced labor. This project studies whether improving access to information about the migration process and to support services—such as legal aid or rescue support—can facilitate safer migration. We collected survey data on around 500 current, returned, and prospective international migrants from Kenya to assess existing awareness gaps around available services for migrants. We find evidence of substantial gaps: the majority of current and prospective migrants are unaware of existing support services, and many current and former migrants do not receive any formal pre-departure training. Based on these findings, we plan to run a randomized controlled trial to evaluate a program aiming to improve access to information and support for prospective migrants.

Forces of Co-optation: Political Pacification through Economic Opportunity 

In this paper I investigate the political ramifications of the work permit regime in Israel/Palestine. Jobs in Israel offer Palestinians in the West Bank a lifeline against the backdrop of a weak local economy, with 15-20% of the labor force working in Israel recently. Access to these jobs, however, is mediated by a sector-specific quota and work permits. Procedurally, the permit process lacks transparency regarding approvals and revocations. Once granted, a work permit is up for renewal at a high frequency (ever 3 to 6 months), providing ample opportunities for rejection. In my qualitative work, I found that there is a perception that expression of or perceived association with political dissent can result in one losing their permit, producing a pressure to self-censor, not just individually, but more broadly within communities. This motivates the analysis on the potential for political demobilization where the economic benefits of the work permit policy are relevant. I am currently collecting data on different measures of political behavior and attitudes, including voter turnout, the incidence of protests, and political attitudes to ascertain the extent to which (perceived) conditional labor market access affects individuals' politics.