The past several decades have witnessed a rebirth of global labor mobility. Workers have
begun to move between countries at rates not seen since before World War One. During the
same period, economists’ study of international migration has been framed by a particular
textbook model of location choice. This paper reviews the evidence on the economic causes
and effects of global migration during the past half century. That evidence falsifes most of
the core predictions of the old model. The economics of migration will regain vitality and
relevance by discarding and replacing its outworn paradigm.