H-1Bs: How Do They Stack Up to US Born Workers?

Magnus Lofstrom and Joseph Hayes ()
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Joseph Hayes: Public Policy Institute of California

No 6259, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Combining unique individual level H-1B data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and data from the 2009 American Community Survey, we analyze earnings differences between H-1B visa holders and US born workers in STEM occupations. The data indicate that H-1Bs are younger and more skilled, as measured by education, than US born workers in the same occupations. We fail to find support for the notion that H-1Bs are paid less that observationally similar US born workers; in fact, they appear to have higher earnings in some key STEM occupations, including information technology.

Keywords: temporary workers; H-1B; immigration; high-skill; STEM (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J15 J18 J31 J61 J8 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 33 pages
Date: 2011-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-lab and nep-mig
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (28)

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