Geographic Differences in the Effect of Immigration on the Native Wage Distribution: Evidence from Italian Provinces

Abstract

This paper examines geographic differences in the effect of immigration on the wage distribution of native Italian workers. The results suggest an insignificant effect across the wage distribution in northern provinces, but large and significant effects in the lower and middle parts of the distribution in the south. This is entirely because immigration pushed up wages at the lower end of the female wage distribution in southern local areas. This result is consistent with increases in labor market participation of native women that went hand in hand with improvements of women's skills at the bottom of the wage distribution.