Research

Published Papers

Frimpong, Jennifer, Stepana Lazarova, and Samuel Asante Gyamerah. 2019. 

Anti-Corruption Instrument and Economic Growth: Evidence from SADC Member States.

Journal of Finance and Economics 7(1):14–22.  

(Available online at: http://pubs.sciepub.com/jfe/7/1/2)


J. Buckland., Frimpong, J., & W. Simpson. Studying the Financial Capability of People with Low-income Using Results from the Canadian Financial Diaries. Poverty & Public Policy. Accepted

(Available  at Studying the Financial Capability of People with Low-income Using Results from the Canadian Financial Diaries)




Working Papers

(Available at Family Immigration Policy and Women’s Employment)

Abstract: The labour force participation of women with young children is positively impacted by close proximity to extended

 family members who may be available to provide regular or unanticipated childcare. Those who are available in close proximity to

 provide such care insurance are an underappreciated resource to the labour market.  We use the Canadian Longitudinal

 Administrative Database (LAD) to estimate the impact of a policy shift away from family-based immigration on employment of

 immigrant women previously arrived.  A triple difference approach allows us to pinpoint the impact of the policy on our treatment

 group – immigrant women with young children - relative to immigrant women without young children, and non-immigrant women

 with and without children.  The results indicate that the reduction in family class immigration resulted in participation rates for

 immigrant mothers with young children that were 2.4 to 14.8 percentage points lower than expected.  Ignoring this indirect impact

 of immigration on the labour supply of current residents may lead to an underestimation of the benefits of immigration 


(Available at: Internal Migration and Economic Outcomes: Evidence among Young Adult Immigrants)

Abstract: Previous research suggests that internal migration can influence children's health and education. Given the well-established relationship between education, health, and poverty, this study aims to investigate whether internal migration during childhood has a long-term impact on the economic outcomes in adulthood.  In this paper, I employ the Canadian Longitudinal Immigration Database (IMDB) to estimate the impact of parental internal migration on the economic outcomes of young adult immigrants. I use Heckman two-stage selection model and a linear probability model to estimate the coefficients. By focusing on the immigrant population, concerns of intergenerational endogeneity are weakened.  Immigrants have already made a significant decision to relocate from their home countries, implying that comparisons between those who subsequently make internal movements within Canada and those who don’t are less likely to be driven by unobserved traits that might be passed along to children, such as adaptability or ambition. The results show that internal migration reduces employment earnings by 8.9 percentage change and increases the probability of low-income status by 3.5 percentage points among young adults whose parents entered the country through the refugee program, compared to those who entered through the economic class program. These findings offer valuable insights for both current immigrants and policymakers, shedding light on the consequences of internal migration.



Abstract: I examine the current Canadian policies that impact the integration of International Medical Graduates (IMGs) in Canada. The nature of Canadian immigration policy has led to an increase in the proportion of IMGs in Canada from 1982 to 2013. This increase has garnered media attention due to IMGs facing difficulties in obtaining medical licensure and residency spots in Canada. Unfortunately, the complex web of requirements that differ across provinces hinders transparency.  This study aims to fill this information gap on the licensing and registration requirements in each province, as well as comparing the economic outcomes of IMGs in previous years. The first part of the paper discusses information asymmetry in the context of medical regulations in Canada. Is the motive for medical regulation driven by public interest or protectionism? I argue that if the motive for licensure is based on public interest, then the requirements for licensure should be consistent across all provinces. In the next part of the paper, I employ data from the Canadian Longitudinal Administrative Database (LAD) to present the trend in employment income for IMGs who immigrated to Canada from 1982 to 2013. The final part of the paper draws information from the websites of various medical colleges to outline the types of licensures available to IMGs based on their circumstances and the requirements across all provinces in Canada. I then use the currency of practice requirements for each province to determine which offers a more accessible path to licensure.