RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Free Movement of Workers and Native Demand for Tertiary Education
JF Journal of Human Resources
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 2038
OP 2070
DO 10.3368/jhr.0721-11805R2
VO 60
IS 6
A1 Bächli, Mirjam
A1 Tsankova, Teodora
YR 2025
UL http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/60/6/2038.abstract
AB We investigate how natives’ demand for tertiary education responds to a reform that relaxed employment restrictions for foreign workers in Switzerland. The policy change led to a sharp increase in cross-border commuting into Swiss areas close to the border. We find that enrollment in universities with a focus on applied studies rises in affected commuting zones, and this increase is driven by natives with a vocational background. Enrollment rises mostly in non-STEM fields that foster skills less transferable across countries. We show that enrollment results are consistent with a rising wage premium for tertiary non-STEM degrees.