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Do Immigrants Work in Worse Jobs than U.S. Natives? Evidence from California

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  • Zavodny, Madeline

    (University of North Florida)

Abstract

In the debate over immigration reform, it is frequently asserted that immigrants take jobs that U.S. natives do not want. Using data from the 2000 Census merged with O*NET data on occupation characteristics, I show that the jobs held by immigrants are more physically arduous than the jobs held by U.S. natives. However, data from the California Work and Health Survey on self-reported physical job demands indicate that immigrants do not perceive their jobs as requiring more physical effort than U.S. natives. Immigrants thus have worse jobs than natives but do not view them as such.

Suggested Citation

  • Zavodny, Madeline, 2014. "Do Immigrants Work in Worse Jobs than U.S. Natives? Evidence from California," IZA Discussion Papers 8327, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp8327
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Giovanni Peri & Chad Sparber, 2016. "Task Specialization, Immigration, and Wages," World Scientific Book Chapters,in: The Economics of International Migration, chapter 3, pages 81-115 World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    2. Joni Hersch & W. Kip Viscusi, 2010. "Immigrant Status and the Value of Statistical Life," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 45(3).
    3. George J. Borjas, 2021. "Assimilation, Changes in Cohort Quality, and the Earnings of Immigrants," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Foundational Essays in Immigration Economics, chapter 2, pages 3-29, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    4. Gordon H. Hanson, 2006. "Illegal Migration from Mexico to the United States," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 44(4), pages 869-924, December.
    5. Barry Chiswick & Paul Miller, 2010. "Occupational language requirements and the value of English in the US labor market," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 23(1), pages 353-372, January.
    6. Alberto Dávila & Marie T. Mora & Rebecca González, 2011. "English-Language Proficiency and Occupational Risk Among Hispanic Immigrant Men in the United States," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(2), pages 263-296, April.
    7. Heather Antecol & Kelly Bedard, 2006. "Unhealthy assimilation: Why do immigrants converge to American health status levels?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 43(2), pages 337-360, May.
    8. Giovanni Peri & Chad Sparber, 2016. "Task Specialization, Immigration, and Wages," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: The Economics of International Migration, chapter 3, pages 81-115, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
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    Cited by:

    1. Constant, Amelie F. & García-Muñoz, Teresa & Neuman, Shoshana & Neuman, Tzahi, 2014. "Micro and Macro Determinants of Health: Older Immigrants in Europe," IZA Discussion Papers 8754, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Jorge González Chapela, 2018. "Physical Work Intensity and the Split Workday: Theory and Evidence from Spain," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 39(3), pages 329-353, September.
    3. Osea Giuntella, 2020. "Do immigrants improve the health of native workers?," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 102-102, December.
    4. Bossavie,Laurent Loic Yves & Garrote Sanchez,Daniel & Makovec,Mattia & Ozden,Caglar, 2021. "Occupational Hazards : Migrants and the Economic and Health Risks of COVID-19 in Western Europe," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9873, The World Bank.
    5. Michael A. Clemens, 2022. "The effect of seasonal work visas on native employment: Evidence from US farm work in the Great Recession," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 1348-1374, November.
    6. Clemens, Michael A., 2017. "The Effect of Occupational Visas on Native Employment: Evidence from Labor Supply to Farm Jobs in the Great Recession," IZA Discussion Papers 10492, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Christian Gunadi, 2020. "Immigration and the Health of U.S. Natives," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 86(4), pages 1278-1306, April.
    8. Nivorozhkin, Anton & Poeschel, Friedrich, 2022. "Working conditions in essential occupations and the role of migrants," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 250-261.
    9. Chad Sparber & Madeline Zavodny, 2022. "Immigration, Working Conditions, and Compensating Differentials," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 75(4), pages 1054-1081, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    immigrants; working conditions; compensating differentials;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J81 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards - - - Working Conditions
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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