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I am an Associate Professor at the Institute for Economic Policies, Universidad Andres Bello (Santiago, Chile).
My current research interests are Macroeconomics, Labor Economics, and Political Economy.
Here you can find my C.V.
I am a principal researcher in the Nucleus LM2C2 (Labor Market Mismatch: Causes and Consequences) and an adjunct researcher of the MIPP (Millenium Institute on Market Imperfections and Public Policy)
I am also co-director of the SABE project (Sistema de Análisis de Bolsas de Empleo), which gathers and harmonizes real-time data from job ads and applicants from multiple online job boards in Chile and classify demand and supply side into occupations using machine learning techniques.
These are profiles in: Google Scholar, RePeC, SSRN, Research Gate, ORCID, Scopus.
Contact: benjamin (at) benjaminvillena.com
News
News
May 27, 2025: I presented our paper "Labor Markets, Inequality, and Hiring Selectivity" (joint with Alessandra Pizzo) at the FAU-IAB Macro-Labor Seminar, Nuremberg, Germany. Great conversations and valuable feedback.
May 24, 2025: A new column on the policy challenges ahead for the rapid ageing of the Chilean labor market in La Segunda (joint with my former student Vicente Abrigo, now at the Institute for Public Policies (IPP) UNAB)
May 22, 2025: I presented our paper "Working hours policy reform: micro and macro impacts" (with M. Tejada)" at the Economics Seminar, Universidad CUNEF, Madrid. Great questions and participation around an issue under discussion in several economies.
May 21, 2025: I presented our paper "Labor Markets, Inequality, and Hiring Selectivity" (joint with Alessandra Pizzo) at the Economics Seminar, Universidad Carlos III (UC3M), Madrid. It was a great opportunity to talk to UC3M Faculty and receive valuable feedback.
Apr 12, 2025: A new version of our paper "Deconstructing Job Search Behavior" is available. Hopefully the last one!
Apr 9, 2025: My comments on inflation of March 2025 in Publimetro.
Apr 8, 2025: A new article regarding the new trade protectionism of the Trump administration in La Tercera.
Apr 7, 2025: A column in La Segunda on the unforeseen effects on informality and tax revenue of the new proposal of university funding in Chile.
Apr 5, 2025: A letter regarding the new trade protectionism of the Trump administration in CIPER Chile.
Apr 3, 2005: My comments on the impact of the massive increase of tariffs of the Trump administration in EMOL.
Apr 2, 2005: I was interviewed again at Radio Agricultura on the impact of the new law proposal for the tertiary education funding system in Chile, particularly its implications for informality.
Feb 15, 2025: My comments on the effects of the aging of the Chilean population appear in El Mercurio.
Jan 30, 2025: I was interviewed again at Radio Agricultura on the side effects on the labor market of the just-approved pension reform in Chile.
Jan 28, 2025: Felipe Balmaceda and I wrote a column for La Tercera explaining some advantages and multiple weaknesses of the pension reform under discussion in Congress.
Jan 22, 2025: La Segunda posted my column on the effects on informality of the large increase in pension system contributions.
Jan 15, 2025: I was interviewed at Radio Agricultura on the effects generated by the proposed increase of pension system contributions in Chile.
Jan 10, 2025: I was interviewed at La Tercera / Radio Duna on the impact of informality for the pension system reform in Chile.
Jan 10, 2025: A letter to El Mostrador explaining why increasing pension contributions in Chile today will likely backfire due to the response of informality to larger labor costs.
Jan 4, 2025: A column in ex-ante on the stance of the Chilean labor market in 2025 highlighting the new minimum wage rise, the high unemployment, and the side effects that the potential reform to the pension system could imply.
Jan 2, 2025: My opinion on the new IMACEC of November 2024 (short-term GDP) was portrayed by emol.com.
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