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Occupational transition and country-of-origin effects in the early stage occupational assimilation of immigrants: some evidence from Australia

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  • Weiping Kostenko
  • Mark Harris
  • Xueyan Zhao

Abstract

We examine the occupational attainment of recent immigrants at 2 years post migration in order to study their early stage assimilation into the labour market in Australia. Human capital endowments and country-of-origin effects are examined for six occupational groups. We also study transitions across occupations from source to host country. The empirical approach utilizes the Ordered Generalized Extreme Value (OGEV) model which embodies differing utility functions across occupational outcomes, as well as accounting for any ordering in these outcomes. The results suggest that the transferability of knowledge and skills is affected by cultural and social backgrounds, and that non-Western immigrants are disproportionately channelled into inferior jobs post migration. The investigation of the country-of-origin effect on the skilled migrants’ occupational transition process is especially apt in the context of skill shortages in many host countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Weiping Kostenko & Mark Harris & Xueyan Zhao, 2012. "Occupational transition and country-of-origin effects in the early stage occupational assimilation of immigrants: some evidence from Australia," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(31), pages 4019-4035, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:44:y:2012:i:31:p:4019-4035
    DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2011.587774
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    Cited by:

    1. Asadul Islam & Dietrich K. Fausten, 2008. "Skilled Immigration and Wages in Australia," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 84(s1), pages 66-82, September.
    2. Baran Siyahhan & Hamed Ghoddusi, 2022. "Optimal investment in human capital under migration uncertainty," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 422-449, May.
    3. Commander, Simon & Nikolaychuk, Olexandr & Vikhrov, Dmytro, 2013. "Migration from Ukraine: Brawn or Brain? New Survey Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 7348, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. T Kifle & P Kler & CM Fleming, 2018. "Australian immigrantsâ labour market success: Does occupation matter?," Discussion Papers in Economics economics:201805, Griffith University, Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics.
    5. Nikolov, Plamen & Salarpour Goodarzi, Leila & Titus, David, 2022. "Skill Downgrading among Refugees and Economic Immigrants in Germany: Evidence from the Syrian Refugee Crisis," IZA Discussion Papers 15426, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Plamen Nikolov & Leila Salarpour & David Titus, 2021. "Skill Downgrading Among Refugees and Economic Immigrants in Germany," Papers 2111.00319, arXiv.org, revised Jan 2022.
    7. Christopher M Fleming & Temesgen Kifle & Parvinder Kler, 2016. "Immigrant occupational mobility in Australia," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 30(5), pages 876-889, October.
    8. Weng Cheong Poon & Lynette Joubert & Carol Harvey, 2015. "A longitudinal study of the health and wellbeing of culturally and linguistically diverse caregivers of people with psychosis in Australia," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 61(8), pages 743-753, December.
    9. Simon Commander & Olexandr Nikolaychuk & Dmytro Vikhrov, 2013. "Migration from Ukraine: Brawn or Brain? New Survey Evidence," Working Papers 156, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Office of the Chief Economist.
    10. Armando J. Garcia Pires, 2015. "Brain Drain And Brain Waste," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 40(1), pages 1-34, March.
    11. Sheruni De Alwis & Nick Parr & Fei Guo, 2022. "The interacting effects of religion and birthplace on the labour market outcomes of Asian immigrants in Australia," Journal of Population Research, Springer, vol. 39(2), pages 157-199, June.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

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