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Immigrant and Native-born Earnings Distributions in Australia: 1982-1996

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  • Roger Wilkins

    (The University of Melbourne)

Abstract

The earnings distributions of immigrant full-time employees are contrasted with those of native-born full-time employees using data from ABS income surveys spanning the period 1982 to 1996-7. A semi-parametric procedure developed by DiNardo, Fortin and Lemieux (1996) is used to analyse the roles played by changes in the wage structure versus changes in the skill composition of workers in explaining the distributional changes over the period. It is found that earnings dispersion increased to a greater extent for immigrants than for natives, an outcome which is not explicable by changes in the observed skills of immigrants. A relative decline in mean earnings of female new arrivals is also identified, potentially the result of a relative decline in skills.

Suggested Citation

  • Roger Wilkins, 2003. "Immigrant and Native-born Earnings Distributions in Australia: 1982-1996," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 6(1), pages 83-115, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:ozl:journl:v:6:y:2003:i:1:p:83-115
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Wages; Compensation; and Labor Costs: General; Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials by Skill; Training; Occupation; etc. (Industry; Schooling; Experience; Tenure; Cohort; etc.);
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J30 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - General
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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