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Does immigration affect wages? A look at occupation-level evidence

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Abstract

Previous research has reached mixed conclusions about whether higher levels of immigration reduce the wages of natives. This paper reexamines this question using data from the Current Population Survey and the Immigration and Naturalization Service and focuses on differential effects by skill level. Using occupation as a proxy for skill, the authors find that an increase in the fraction of workers in an occupation group who are foreign born tends to lower the wages of low-skilled natives-particularly after controlling for endogeneity-but does not have a negative effect among skilled natives.

Suggested Citation

  • Pia M. Orrenius & Madeline Zavodny, 2003. "Does immigration affect wages? A look at occupation-level evidence," FRB Atlanta Working Paper 2003-2, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedawp:2003-2
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Immigrants; Wages; Employment (Economic theory);
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

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