Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Hang Do Author-X-Name-First: Hang Author-X-Name-Last: Do Author-Email: h.do@soton.ac.uk Author-Workplace-Name: University of Southampton Author-Name: Kiet Duong Author-X-Name-First: Kiet Author-X-Name-Last: Duong Author-Email: kiet.duong@york.ac.uk Author-Workplace-Name: University of York Author-Name: Toan Huynh Author-X-Name-First: Toan Author-X-Name-Last: Huynh Author-Email: t.huynh@qmul.ac.uk Author-Workplace-Name: Queen Mary University of London Author-Name: Nam T. Vu Author-X-Name-First: Nam Author-X-Name-Last: Vu Author-Email: vunt@miamioh.edu Author-Workplace-Name: Miami University Title: The Real Effects of Brexit on Labor Demand: Evidence from Firm-level Data Abstract: Using the distance to the Irish border for UK firms that did not change their location after the 2016 Referendum to isolate the effects of Brexit at the firm level, we find Brexit implementation in 2020 caused exposed firms to cut their workforce by up to 15.7% on average relative to non-exposed firms. These exposed firms are also more likely to have lower growth expectations and more likely to increase their research and development (R&D) expenditure. Such results highlight the expectation channel and support the hypothesis that firms prioritize innovations in response to Brexit. Length: 44 pages Creation-Date: 2024-04 Revision-Date: Publication-Status: Classification-JEL: D25; D84; F16; O32 Keywords: Brexit; firm responses; technology; EU workers File-URL: http://cgr.sbm.qmul.ac.uk/CGRWP117.pdf Number: 117 Handle: RePEc:cgs:wpaper:117