Journal of Labor Economics Vol. 33 No. S1 2015

Skilled Immigration and the Employment Structures of US Firms

Sari Pekkala Kerr¹; William R. Kerr^2,3; William F. Lincoln⁴

¹ Wellesley College · ² National Bureau of Economic Research · ³ Harvard University · ⁴ Johns Hopkins University

Abstract

We study the impact of skilled immigrants on the employment structures of US firms using matched employer-employee data. Unlike most previous work, we use the firm as the lens of analysis to account for greater heterogeneity and the fact that many skilled immigrant admissions are driven by firms themselves (e.g., the H-1B visa). OLS and IV specifications show rising overall employment of skilled workers with increased skilled immigrant employment by the firm. Employment expansion is greater for young natives than for their older counterparts. The departure rates for older workers relative to younger workers appear highest for those in STEM occupations.

DOI

10.1086/678986

Volume

33

Issue

S1

Pages

S147-S186

Language

en

Sources

openalex crossref

Cite

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