• Research
  • Politika
  • About
Carnegie Russia Eurasia center logoCarnegie lettermark logo
  • Donate
{
  "authors": [
    "Uri Dadush",
    "Lauren Falcão"
  ],
  "type": "other",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "",
  "programs": [],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "North America",
    "United States",
    "South America",
    "Western Europe"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Economy",
    "Trade"
  ]
}

Source: Getty

Other

Migrants and the Global Financial Crisis

Migrants are economic assets for both their host and home countries, but they are disproportionately affected by the global financial crisis. Temporary migration programs and collaboration with migrant-sending countries can help maximize the economic benefits of migration, even in times of crisis.

Link Copied
By Uri Dadush and Lauren Falcão
Published on Dec 8, 2009

More than 200 million people reside in a country that is not their birthplace. This “diaspora nation” of migrants outranks all but four of the world’s countries in population. These migrants make an immense economic contribution both to their host country and to their home country, primarily through transfers of money they earn back to their home country, which are known as “remittances.” About 82 percent of migrants originate in developing countries, and their remittances, which amounted to an estimated $305 billion in 2008, represent an essential source of foreign exchange for these countries, as well as a major instrument in the fight against poverty.

  • Migrants are economic assets for both their host and home countries, but the global financial crisis has disproportionately affected migrants, who are both economically and politically vulnerable.

  • Migration responds to labor demand in the host country—it increases during economic booms and decreases during busts, thus minimizing competition with native-born workers.

  • Policy makers in host countries should resist political pressures calling for measures against migrants and make sure that migrants’ contribution to economic welfare is more broadly understood.

  • Temporary migration programs and collaboration with migrant-sending countries can help maximize the economic benefits of migration, including in times of crisis.

Authors

Uri Dadush
Former Senior Associate, International Economics Program
Uri Dadush
Lauren Falcão
Former Junior Fellow, Trade, Equity, and Development Program
EconomyTradeNorth AmericaUnited StatesSouth AmericaWestern Europe

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    Lithuania’s Potash Dilemma Raises Questions About Sanctions’ Effectiveness

    What should happen when sanctions designed to weaken the Belarusian regime end up enriching and strengthening the Kremlin?  

      Denis Kishinevsky

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    Is There Really a Threat From China and Russia in Greenland?

    The supposed threats from China and Russia pose far less of a danger to both Greenland and the Arctic than the prospect of an unscrupulous takeover of the island.

      Andrei Dagaev

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    Ukrainian Villages Are a Bigger Prize for Putin Than a Deal With Trump

    Western negotiators often believe territory is just a bargaining chip when it comes to peace in Ukraine, but Putin is obsessed with empire-building. 

      Andrey Pertsev

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    Has Trump the Destroyer Eclipsed Putin the Destroyer?

    Unexpectedly, Trump’s America appears to have replaced Putin’s Russia’s as the world’s biggest disruptor.

      Alexander Baunov

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    Russia’s Latest Weapons Have Left Strategic Stability on the Brink of Collapse

    The Kremlin will only be prepared to negotiate strategic arms limitations if it is confident it can secure significant concessions from the United States. Otherwise, meaningful dialogue is unlikely, and the international system of strategic stability will continue to teeter on the brink of total collapse.

      Maxim Starchak

Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center
Carnegie Russia Eurasia logo, white
  • Research
  • Politika
  • About
  • Experts
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.