Dr Zovanga L. Kone

My research pertains to issues related to migration and labour market outcomes. It has looked at the impact of migration on the labour market of the host and origin countries, the integration of migrants, in particular refugees, in the host’s labour market. Relatedly it has also looked at the drivers/impeders of internal/international migration, as well as the efficacy of visa policies in achieving its objectives.

My work addresses questions such as: what are the impact of immigration on wages? Could migration lead to brain gains rather than brain drain? Why might people not migrate even if they face no visa barriers? How do migrants fare in the host country? Do visa policies achieve their objectives?

My current research looks at issues related to migration and labour market outcomes. This includes the impact of migration on the labour market of the host and origin countries; the integration of migrants and refugees in the host’s labour market; and what drives or impedes internal and international migration, as well as the efficacy of visa policies in achieving their objectives.

Self-employment and reason for migration: are those who migrate for asylum different from other migrants? 2021. Small Business Economics, pp.1-16. (with I. Ruiz and C. Vargas-Silva)

Labor market effects of demographic shifts and migration in OECD countries. 2019. European Economic Review, 113, 297-324. (with F. Docquier, A. Mattoo and C. Ozden)

Internal borders and migration in India. 2018. Journal of Economic Geography, 18(4), 729-759. (with M. Liu, A. Mattoo, C. Ozden, and S. Sharma)

Intergenerational assimilation of UK immigrants in the labour market: A minor assumption with enormous implications for inference. 2018. Economics Letters, 164, 94-99.

I am willing to supervise any student working on a topic close to my research.

• Statistics for Economists I (EC1007)
• Labour Economics (EC2052)

• Member of the Royal Economic Society conference committee, 2020 - present.
• Chair of ULSB Black Excellence committee, 2021 - present.
• Invited lecturer for the African Union's staff training/workshop on migration data and policy, summer 2021.

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

PhD Economics, University of Nottingham

MSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics, London School of Economics (LSE)