Discrimination Against Migrants and its Determinants : Evidence from a Multi-Purpose Field Experiment in the Housing Rental Market1

The increasing number of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia, which now exceeds 2.9 million, has raised concerns about their socioeconomic integration. We propose a novel approach to studying discrimination in the housing rental market. We conducted a multi-purpose field experiment with 574 real estate agents to measure the extent of discrimination and explore its determinants. We gathered data about the REAs, and they evaluated rental applications from Colombian, Venezuelan, and OECD families. We found evidence of discrimination in the housing rental market. REAs were less likely to choose a Venezuelan family over a Colombian or OECD family. Discrimination was a combination of taste and statistical discrimination, influenced by age, gender, cognitive skills, and local market knowledge. A discriminatory social norm is well recognized among REAs. This study has implications for policymakers, and practitioners, not only in Colombia but globally, as it sheds light on mechanisms of discrimination against migrants