even if it is assumed that migrant workers send home the entire amount of their wages and salaries the total income generated by them is much larger due to complementarities between migrant and native workers and higher corporate profits that is the increment in gdp is much higher than the income of the migrant workers one approach to estimate this additional benefit uses the concept of consumer surplus borjas consumer surplus arises due to lower prices that consumers pay as a larger supply of goods or services is made available by the migrant workers