Optimal Policies with an Informal Sector

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Public Economics
Year: 2011
Volume: 95
Issue: 11
Pages: 1280-1291

Authors (4)

Cuff, Katherine (not in RePEc) Marceau, Nicolas (not in RePEc) Mongrain, Steeve (Simon Fraser University) Roberts, Joanne (University of Calgary)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

This paper characterizes optimal policies in the presence of tax evasion and undocumented workers. In equilibrium, domestic workers may work exclusively in the formal sector or also in the informal sector. Surprisingly, in equilibrium, wages are always equalized between domestic and undocumented workers, even if they do not work in the same sectors of the economy. This is driven by the interaction of firm level decisions with optimal government policy. We also find that enforcement may not always be decreasing in its cost, and that governments will optimally enforce labour market segmentation if enforcement costs are not too high.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:pubeco:v:95:y:2011:i:11:p:1280-1291
Journal Field
Public
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-25