Economic impacts of immigration in France: public finances and consumption.

Summary The issue of immigration in host economies is nowadays at the center of political, economic and social concerns. Immigration is perceived today as a problem rather than an opportunity for host societies in general and France in particular. The results of the Transatlantic Trends survey between 2008 and 2013 show that in France, public opinion on immigration has deteriorated significantly. To the question do you perceive immigration as a problem rather than an opportunity? 50% of French respondents answered in the affirmative in 2013. This percentage was only 39% in 2008. In parallel to this situation, demographic projections show an aging population and immigration could be a solution to this problem. The objective of this thesis is to analyze, in this context of demographic aging, the economic effects of immigration by focusing on its impact on public finances and household demand in France. It thus contributes to the literature on the costs and benefits of immigration in host countries. It also analyzes the economic consequences of a policy decision on immigration, testing the effects of changes in migration policies on public finances and the effects of income increases on the consumption of native and immigrant households. The thesis is structured around two main parts: the first part focuses on the budgetary impact of immigration, with an accounting assessment in the first chapter and a dynamic assessment using a general equilibrium model in the second chapter. The second part of the thesis focuses on the consumption of immigrants in France. Here again, two chapters are distinguished: the first measures the contribution of immigrants to final demand and the second analyzes the consumption behavior of native and immigrant households.