The Assimilation of Immigrants in the U.S. Labor Market: Employment and Labor Force Turnover [Hardcover]

Figures, Tables, Acknowledgments, I. Introduction, II. Theories of Immigration, III. Models of Labor Turnover and Unemployment, IV. Empirical Evidence in the Literature, V. The Theory of Immigrant Unemployment and Turnover, and Hypotheses, VI. Data Sources, VII. The Model, Estimating Equations, and Methodology, VIII. Employment, Unemployment, Out of the Labor Force, IX. Job Losers, Job Leavers, Labor Force Entrants, X. Search Duration-Weeks Looking for Work, XI. Adjusting Unemployment Probabilities for Duration of Unemployment, XII. Summary, Conclusions, Policy Implications, Notes, Appendices, Cited ReferencesThis book analyzes the labor market adjustment processes of immigrants in the United States. Newly-arrived immigrants earn less, work fewer weeks, and have higher rates of unemployment than native-born workers. After a period of assimilation, these conditions later converge to, and often surpass, those of native-born workers. The adjustment process traditionally implies greater employment turnover.
Newly-arrived immigrant men have lower employment and labor force participation rates than similar native-born American men. Yet differences in unemployment rates are less consistent, and are complicated by shorter periods of unemployment duration for immigrants. Contrary to expectations, recent immigrants are less likely to be unemployed, even after adjusting for a lower duration of unemployment. This is partly because movements in and out of the labor force are high. Lower employment for recent immigrants is best explained by lower labor force participation, while higher unemployment rates are best explained by high rates of labor force entry. All labor force outcomes for immigrants, whether higher or lower upon arrival, converge to native-born norms after a few years of residence.USCopyright ? 1998 Michael E. Hurst All rights reserved