An empirical study on return migration of highly skilled workers in Japan

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K17144
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Public finance/Public economy
• Research Institution: Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry
• Principal Investigator: Liu Yang 独立行政法人経済産業研究所, 研究グループ, 研究員 (50635084)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 外国人 / 還流型移民 / 労働力分断 / 賃金 / 文化 / 仕事満足度

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study contributes to the literature of return migration using firm-worker matching data. It sheds light on the determinants of return migration of highly skilled foreign workers in Japan, most of whom were born in Asian countries. The analysis concentrates on foreign workers, while includes some analysis on foreign students in Japanese universities. The model and estimation results show that labor segmentation between migrants and native labors, lifetime employment system, cultural factors, and language problems are the major reasons for return migration. Although the study does not find significant evidence on the effects of imperfect labor market and local wage in host countries, it implies that job satisfaction plays an important role in the decision-making of return migration. Using standard economic models, the study analyzes job satisfaction of foreign workers, particularly the effect of relative wage in home countries on migrants' job satisfaction in host countries.

Free Research Field

労働経済学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年、グローバル競争が加速する中、高度外国人材を自国に定着させることは多くの国で重要な課題となっているが、日本では外国人の定着率は未だ低い現状にある。一方、還流型移民は海外では盛んに行われてきたが、日本のデータを用いた実証研究はまだ進められていない。そのような背景の中、本研究は日本企業と外国人労働者のマッチング・データなどを用いて、従来の還流型移民の学術研究を発展させた。また、日本における高度外国人材の還流型移民の決定要因の解明することによって、高度外国人材の活用に関する社会議論と政策形成に資する基礎的情報を提供した。