The immigrant-native gap in risk and time preferences in Germany: levels, socio-economic determinants, and recent changes

Abstract We present new descriptive evidence on the immigrant-native gap in risk and time preferences Germany, one of immigrants’ most preferred destination countries. Using recent waves Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) dataset, we find that has widened for immigration cohorts, especially around 2015 European Refugee Crisis. attribute widening to decreased assimilation rates immigrants caused by reduced integration due sudden increases flows from culturally diverse parts world, particularly year 2015. also varies across different migrant groups: “Opportunity seekers,” which define as economic who intend stay Germany only temporarily, are very similar their natives. Other immigrants, however, substantially more averse than A smaller is found among migrants female, highly educated, proficient host language, self-employed, working predominantly high-skilled jobs. Concerning preferences, a noticeably large evident, but does not vary individual-level socio-economic variables.