Fiscal tightening and skills mismatch

Abstract

The paper establishes a new link between fiscal tightening and the vertical skills mismatch rate, defined as the share of over-qualified workers. Using cross-country evidence for Europe, we show that fiscal tightening can increase skills mismatch. We then introduce the latter in a DSGE model with heterogeneous households, capital-skill complementarity (CSC) and labor frictions. We calibrate the model for Greece, where the over-qualification rate exceeds one-third. A fiscal tightening shock raises the mismatch rate in the model, in line also with SVAR analysis. Skills mismatch can act as a buffer for high-skilled workers during recessions induced by tax shocks and is more counter-cyclical when CSC is weak. We also use the model to conduct welfare and policy analyses.