City Research Online

Abstract

Is there a way of eliminating human smuggling? We set up a model to simultaneously determine the provision of human smuggling services and the demand from would-be migrants. A visa-selling policy may be successful at eliminating smugglers by eroding their profits but it also increases immigration. In contrast, repression decreases migration but fuels cartelized smugglers. To overcome this trade-off we show that legalisation through selling visas in combination with repression can be used to eliminate human smuggling while controlling migration flows. Simulations of the policy highlight the complementarities between repression and selling visas and call into question current policies.

Publication Type:	Monograph (Discussion Paper)
Additional Information:	© 2013 the authors.
Publisher Keywords:	migration, human smuggling, market structure, legalisation
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory J Political Science > JV Colonies and colonization. Emigration and immigration. International migration
Departments:	School of Policy & Global Affairs > Economics > Discussion Paper Series

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