Data and Code for "Self-Employment and Migration: Evidence from Mexico"

Mexico has one of the highest self-employment rates in the OECD. I study the relationship between business ownership and migration from Mexico to the United States using longitudinal data from the Mexican Migration Project (MMP). I find that the self-employed have a substantially lower probability of moving north, either legally or illegally. Although running a business could allow a person to finance a costly trip to the US, it also raises the opportunity costs of leaving and the non-pecuniary benefits of staying at home. The findings highlight the role of self-employment in a developing country in the likelihood of emigration.<br><br>