Immigrant Networks and Their Implications for Occupational Choice and Wages

A-Tier
Journal: Review of Economics and Statistics
Year: 2013
Volume: 95
Issue: 4
Pages: 1249-1277

Authors (2)

Krishna Patel (not in RePEc) Francis Vella (Georgetown University)

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Occupational shares of various ethnic groups have grew tremendously in regional U.S. labor markets from 1980 to 2000. Using U.S. Census data, we examine the extent to which this growth is attributed to network effects by studying the relationship between the occupational choice of recently arrived immigrants with those of established immigrants from the same country, We find strong evidence of network effects. First, new arrivals are choosing the same occupations as their compatriots, a decision that is operating at the regional level. Second, individuals who choose the most common occupation of their compatriots enjoy a large and positive earnings effect. © 2013 The President and Fellows of Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:tpr:restat:v:95:y:2013:i:4:p:1249-1277
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-29