Work

Optimal multi-action treatment allocation: A two-phase field experiment to boost immigrant naturalization

Year: 2023

Type: preprint

Abstract: Research underscores the role of naturalization in enhancing immigrants' socio-economic integration, yet application rates remain low. We estimate a policy rule for a letter-based information campaign encouraging newly eligible immigrants in Zurich, Switzerland, to naturalize. The policy rule assigns one out of three treatment letters to each individual, based on their observed characteristics. We field the policy rule to one-half of 1,717 immigrants, while sending random treatment letters to the other half. Despite only moderate treatment effect heterogeneity, the policy tree yields a larger, albeit insignificant, increase in application rates compared to assigning the same letter to everyone.

Source: RePEc: Research Papers in Economics

DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2305.00545

Authors: Ahrens, Achim, Stampi-Bombelli, Alessandra, Kurer, Selina, Hangartner, Dominik

Institution: ETH Zurich

Language: English

Topic: Migration, Refugees, and Integration

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green