Mihails Hazans

Mihails Hazans
University of Latvia | LU · Faculty of Business Management and Economics

PhD

About

72
Publications
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Introduction
I am a professor of econometrics at the University of Latvia, a research fellow at the IZA Institute of Labor Economics, the Global Labor Organization (GLO) fellow, and a research associate at the Baltic International Centre for Economic Policy Studies (BICEPS). I have also worked on numerous projects for the OECD, the World Bank, and other organizations. Recently, my research focuses on migration, informal employment, envelope wages, and the link between personality and labor market outcomes.

Publications

Publications (72)
Preprint
Full-text available
Education scholars and human geographers have extensively studied spatial disparities in access to secondary education, both in developing countries and in advanced economies. However, very few studies have analysed access to specific types of secondary education, particularly programs oriented toward Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathemati...
Preprint
Full-text available
In Latvia, three sizeable groups of working-age population  ethnic minorities, residents of the Latgale region, and low-educated  feature substantially lower employment rates than those not belonging to these groups. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the corresponding employment disparities over the period of 2007-2017. The ethnic emplo...
Preprint
Full-text available
This study develops two methods of estimating the proportion of envelope wage receivers and the share of envelope earnings in the wage bill. Both methods are applicable for the whole economy, as well as by sectors and by socioeconomic groups, if some combination of survey and administrative earnings data is available. The Mixed Data Method (MDM) es...
Preprint
The future of teleworking ultimately depends on its impact on workers’ productivity and wellbeing, yet the effect of remote working on productivity is not well understood. This paper investigates the link between personality traits and workers’ productivity when working from home. We exploit a survey providing measures of the “Big Five” personality...
Presentation
Full-text available
During the first half of 2021, 18% of employees in Latvia were working remotely (either all working time or 3-5 days a week). For most teleworkers and their employers, this was a new experience. How do teleworkers and their employers evaluate this experience? What will be the impact of this experience on the post-pandemic labour market? Our paper o...
Article
Full-text available
Mihails Hazans Estimating the Size of Latvia’s Diaspora and the Stock of Returnees: Methodological Approaches and Main Findings A number of previous studies have looked at different aspects of emigration from Latvia and return migration to Latvia. However, this paper is the first attempt to provide a comprehensive assessment of the size and demogr...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
During 2006-2017, Latvia applied a rather generous accelerated depreciation (AD) policy to stimulate firm investment. The AD policy included: (1) the general AD scheme, (2) incentives to acquire new technological equipment, and (3) Investment incentives in the specially assisted areas. This paper analyses the effect of accelerated depreciation poli...
Chapter
Full-text available
In recent years, Latvia has established itself as one of the top two countries with the most intensive emigration among EU/EFTA member states. This chapter starts by describing the demographic context and the scale of emigration post-2000, followed by a brief history of the main population flows (migration, refugees and deportation) from and to Lat...
Presentation
Full-text available
I study determinants of return migrants' earnings using rich information on jobs and earnings before and after returning to Latvia on more than 1000 returnees surveyed in 2016. Sizable positive effects on returnees' earnings at the main job are found for the following components of specific human capital accumulated abroad: duration of work abroad...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
We study determinants of return migrants' earnings using rich information on jobs and earnings before and after returning to Latvia on more than 1000 returnees surveyed in 2016. After controlling for personal characteristics and hours worked, significant and sizable positive effects on returnees' earnings at the main job are found for various compo...
Article
Full-text available
Emigrant survey data confirm substantial university diploma drain from Latvia to various EU/EFTA destinations during 2000-2014. The share of tertiary educated among emigrants further increased during their stay in the host countries, reaching, by 2014, 45 %. The share of university graduates among Latvian emigrants in each of the destinations under...
Presentation
Full-text available
The paper describes post-2000 emigration waves from the Baltic countries and Poland and presents comparative evidence (based on various data sources, including recent emigrant surveys) on demographic, as well as brain drain challenges, for these countries caused by emigration. The paper continues by discussing the potential of return migration to m...
Presentation
Full-text available
The microenetrprise tax (MET) regime in Latvia was introduced at the end of 2010 as a tool to foster job creation in a country hardly hit by the crisis. By 2015, the regime covered 9% of all employees with non-zero earnings; moreover, similarly measured MET share in the private sector has reached 13% but in some professional service activities was...
Presentation
Full-text available
In this paper we suggest a new method of estimating undeclared earnings at employee level and apply it to Latvia and Estonia for the period 2007-2012. Existing litearture on estimating undeclared earnings at the worker level in some or all EU countries (Merrikull and Staehr 2010, Williams and Padmore 2013, Williams and Horodnic 2015, Williams, Horo...
Technical Report
Full-text available
Latvia faces significant challenges in terms of both income inequality (despite some recent progress) and inequality of opportunity. This paper examines to what extent these inequalities can be reduced by recent reforms, both those addressing the country-specific recommendations (CSR) by the EC and others, as well as those yet to be implemented. Ac...
Presentation
Full-text available
During the Great Recession, Latvia has featured the highest emigration rate among the EU member states. Emigration has become a serious challenge for country’s demographic prospects and economic development. This paper employs three recent waves (2013, 2014 and 2015) of representative population surveys to analyse the determinants of emigration int...
Chapter
Full-text available
The Baltic countries, which experienced intensive outflow of labor during the first five years after joining the EU provide an interesting case also for a study of migration response to economic shocks. The behavior of the Baltic migrants was different from that of their counterparts from other NMS. During the economic crisis of 2009-2010 and its a...
Presentation
Full-text available
The study employs microdata of the Latvian Labour Force Survey (2000-2013), as well as the national versions of EU-SILC surveys (2011-2013) to identify drivers of and obstacles to labour force participation and employment of population aged 50+ in Latvia. We present statistical and econometric analysis of labour market status and labour market flow...
Presentation
Full-text available
The presentation consists of two parts. First, I describe the survey of emigrants from Latvia conducted in 2014 (the survey reached about 14 000 respondents in 118 countreies). Discussion of the challenges and the approaches used to overcome them is followed by presenting the structure of the questionnaire. Second, I present the results on return i...
Presentation
Full-text available
I describe the four post-2000 emigration waves from the Baltic countries and Poland and compare dynamics of emigration and return migration across the four countries. For Latvia and Estonia, I provide analysis of reasons for emigration. I follow with comparative analysis of skill composition and selectivity of Baltic and Polish emigrants, as well a...
Presentation
Full-text available
I present the results of evaluation of unemployed training provided by the Latvian State Employment Agency (SEA) in 2008-2011. Full coverage administrative data allow for observing unemployment, employment and earnings history for all individuals between January 2005 and August 2012. For those trained, very detailed information on type, content and...
Presentation
Full-text available
I discuss emigration trends from the Baltic countries in 2008-2013, using data compiled from destination countries’ statistics. Latvia and Lithuania are recently among the three “most EU-mobile” new meber states. I show that the Baltic countries face more serious demographic challenges than the main destination countries of the Baltic emigrants. Re...
Presentation
Full-text available
Data of a representative survey of >2000 households in capital city of Latvia are used to answer the following questions: Is there a chance to get birth rates back to “normal” anytime soon? How big is emigration potential in Riga? Is emigration risk higher or lower among families with children? What about couples planning to have children in the ne...
Chapter
Full-text available
This chapter examines the substantial outflows of population from Latvia since 2000, which has major implications for the demography and development of Latvia as well as its social security system. Different statistical sources are described and compared. The chapter examines the characteristics of emigrants relative to the resident population, in...
Presentation
Full-text available
Analysis of job vacancy rates and distribution of vacancy durations (by sector, group of occupation, and period) as well as suggests that lack of demand remains the major constraint to further labour market recovery in Latvia in 2009-2012.We proceed by presenting main findings from ALMP evaluation. All types of professional training and informal ed...
Presentation
Full-text available
Substantial outflows of population from Latvia since 2000 has major implications for the demography and development of Latvia as well as its social security system. The presentation compares alternative data sources on the scale of the outflows and examines the characteristics of emigrants in terms of education, age, employment experience and incom...
Presentation
Full-text available
European Social Survey data on 30 countries, covering years 2004-2009, are used to look into joint institutional [and other macro] determinants of the rates of dependent employment without a contract, informal self-employment, and unemployment (secondary jobs are not accounted for). Consistently with theoretical predictions, quality of business env...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
This paper has been prepared for a Peer Review within the framework of the European Commission Mutual Learning Programme. It is devoted to Emergency Public Works Programme in Latvia which was designed during the first half of 2009 (and implemented starting from September 2009) as a crisis response to a sharp increase in unemployment in a situation...
Presentation
Full-text available
This paper has been prepared for a Peer Review within the framework of the European Commission Mutual Learning Programme. After an outline of labour market situation in Latvia before and during the crisis, I present a detailed account of the design of the Emergency Public Works Programme, staistics on demand for the programme and participation in i...
Article
Full-text available
This paper looks into institutional and other macro determinants of prevalence of informal dependent employment, as well as informal self-employment, in European countries, using European Social Survey data on work without legal contract in on 30 countries, covering years 2004-2009. Consistently with theoretical predictions, quality of business env...
Article
Full-text available
The European Social Survey data are used to analyze informal employment in 30 countries, focusing on employees without contracts and on informal self-employed workers (who are distinguished from formal workers). Overall the size of informal employment decreases from South to West to East to North. However, working without a contract is more prevale...
Article
Full-text available
The European Social Survey data are used to analyze informal employment at the main job in 30 countries. Overall, informality decreases from South to West to East to North. However, dependent work without contract is more prevalent in Eastern Europe than in the West, except for Ireland, the UK and Austria. Between 2004 and 2009, no cases found when...
Article
Full-text available
We use Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian LFS data (2002-2007) complemented with several other surveys to compare the profile of Baltic temporary workers abroad before and after EU accession with that of stayers and return migrants. Determinants of migration and return, as well as selection issues are discussed. Post-enlargement migrants from all thr...
Chapter
Full-text available
This chapter departs by analysis of the labor market situation of minorities over the period of 2002-2009. The unexplained employment and earnings gaps between Latvians and non-Latvians declined during the growth period of 2002-2007 but increased again in the recession years 2008-2009. Minorities in Latvia face different types of labor market barri...
Presentation
Full-text available
The European Social Survey data are used to analyze informal employment in 30 countries, focusing on employees without contracts and on informal selfemployed workers (who are distinguished from formal workers). Overall the size of informal employment decreases from South to West to East to North. However, working without a contract is more prevalen...
Article
This paper employs a rich collection of survey and administrative datasets, including linked school-teacher payroll data, to document the reform of teacher compensation and school network implemented in Latvia amidst the economic crisis of 2008-2010, immediately after territorial reform. We explore diverse responses by local governments in terms of...
Presentation
Full-text available
Keynote lecture at roundtable ”Subsidised jobs in Europe - ideology, legislation and practice” (Tallinn, April 29, 2010) discusses relevance of subsidized public works in the crisis setting. What are (and, importantly, what are not) objectives of a good public works programme? What should be the crucial features of its design? What kind of politica...
Article
The paper exploits a recent survey of over ten thousand economically active residents of Latvia; about 5% of respondents have worked abroad over the last three years, while 12% have family members with such experience. Post-enlargement labor migration from Latvia has been predominantly low-skilled, yet return migrants when compared to stayers are,...
Article
This paper examines human capital gap between titular ethnicities and Russian-speaking minorities, which has emerged in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania during the transition and remains significant after controlling for parental education. For recent cohorts, unexplained gap is declining in Lithuania (despite absence of Russian language tertiary edu...
Article
We introduce and apply a method for estimating workers' marginal willingness to pay for job attributes employing data on job search activity. Worker's willingness to pay for the remaining duration of the employment contract is derived. We provide evidence that workers attach substantial value to the remaining contract duration. A temporary worker w...
Article
Full-text available
In 2002-2005, Latvian labor market has witnessed dramatic changes related both to unprecedented economic growth and to a massive outflow of labor force after EU enlargement in May 2004. This study, based on micro-level analysis of Latvian Labor Force surveys 2002-2005, provides a detailed analysis of these changes, with a particular focus on develo...
Article
Monthly panel (1998-2003) data from regional labour offices in Latvia are used to analyse the matching process in a high unemployment-low labour demand environment and to evaluate the impact of active labour market policy programmes on outflows from unemployment. Results suggest that the hiring process is driven by a stock-flow rather than by a tra...
Article
This paper looks at the evolution of the labour markets in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania since the beginning of transition (in some respects since 1996/1998) until 2003, with a particular focus on labour force participation. How did labour supply in the Baltic countries respond to changes in to minimum wages, unemployment benefits and retirement r...
Article
Full-text available
When judged either by educational attainment of adult population or by secondary and tertiary enrollment rates, Albania by 2002 compared very unfavorably to most European countries, including its neighbors. This study examines the determinants of secondary enrollment applying unobserved family effect probit model to data from Living Standards Measu...
Article
Monthly panel (1998-2003) data from regional labor offices in Latvia are used to analyze the matching process in a high unemployment – low labor demand environment and to evaluate the impact of active labor market policy programs on outflows from unemployment. Results suggest that the hiring process is driven by a stock-flow rather than by a tradit...
Article
This paper provides an assessment of employment and working conditions in Latvia before and immediately after the EU accession. The issues addressed include self-employment, multiple jobs, fixed-term contracts, unreported wages, overtime, unsocial working hours, health and safety at work, social dialogue. The study combines different methods: stati...
Article
Parental education is found to have a strong positive effect on propensity to enroll in and complete secondary and tertiary education, both in Soviet times and during transition, but mother’s education effect have been weakening. A human capital gap between titular ethnicities and Russian speaking minorities has emerged in all three countries and r...
Article
Full-text available
Latvia has recorded sustained GDP and productivity growth since 1997. Yet unemployment rates, despite gradual decrease, have remained high. The paper explores the mysteries of unemployment in Latvia. It analyzes labor flows between employment, unemployment, and nonparticipation and finds the following results: The type of education and the region o...
Article
This paper introduces and applies a method for estimating workers' marginal willingness to pay for job attributes employing data on job search activity. Worker's willingness to pay for the remaining duration of the employment contract is derived. We provide evidence that workers attach substantial value to the remaining contract duration. A tempora...
Article
The papers analyses regional differences in EU referenda results in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. In each of the three countries, other things being equal, high income regions were significantly more pro-European than low-income ones, while regions with a high share of ethnic minorities were significantly more opposed to the enlargement than othe...
Article
This paper shows that in the Baltic countries, commuting reduces urban-rural wage and employment disparities and increases national output. To quantify the effect of commuting on wage differentials, two sets of earnings functions are estimated (based on Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian Labor Force Surveys) with location variables (capital city, ru...
Article
Full-text available
Monthly panel (1998-2003) data from regional labor offices in Latvia are used to conclude on the specificity of matching process in this transition economy and to evaluate the impact of active labor market policy programs on outflows from unemployment. Results confirm that the hiring process is driven by stock-flow matching rather than by tradition...
Article
Full-text available
We show that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania despite small geographical size feature considerable and persistent regional disparities. Registered migration rates have declined dramatically since the last years of Soviet era, yet they are high by international standards. Evidence from regional inflows and outflows in Latvia and from Estonian labour fo...
Article
This paper uses empirical evidence from several sources to shed light on patterns of mobility of Latvian labour force during the transition period as well as in the years to come. Updated inter-regional migration rates show that Latvian population is relatively mobile compared to some other European nations. Other things equal, during the transitio...
Article
Full-text available
Labour Force Survey (2000) data are used to estimate returns to education in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Results are compared with evidence from other countries. We also discuss gender, ethnic, and urban-rural gaps in payoff to education.
Article
To what extent does commuting reduce regional wage disparities? This question is addressed by estimating two sets of earnings functions (based on 2000 LFS data for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania): with geographical variables (like capital city, rural etc.) measured at the working place and at the place of residence. The main finding is that commutin...
Article
The paper presents a disequilibrium model of a pre-transition centrally planned economy, with explicit description of labour supply to the official sector, as well as illegal economic activities. Under weak assumptions, raising official prices for deficit goods leads to even higher inflation in the shadow sector and increases the labour supply to t...
Article
The paper exploits a recent survey of over ten thousand economically active residents of Latvia; 4.8% of respondents have worked abroad over the last three years, while 12% have family members who worked abroad during the last three years. Post-enlargement labor migration from Latvia has been predominantly unskilled, yet return migrants when compar...
Article
This paper introduces a method for estimating workers' marginal willingness to pay for job attributes employing data on job search activity. Worker's willingness to pay to avoid a temporary contract, which increases the risk of becoming unemployed, is derived for Lithuania. The empirical relevance of this method is further shown re-interpreting stu...
Article
To what extent does commuting reduce urban – rural and regional wage disparities? This question is addressed by estimating two sets of earnings functions (based on 2000 LFS data for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania): with location variables (like capital city, rural etc.) measured at the workplace and at the place of residence. The main finding is tha...

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