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

Lofstrom, Magnus; Hayes, Joseph J.

doi:10.2139/ssrn.1981215

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

IZA Discussion Paper No. 6259

33 Pages Posted: 8 Jan 2012

See all articles by Magnus Lofstrom

Magnus Lofstrom

Public Policy Institute of California; Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

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

JEL Classification: J8, J15, J18, J31, J61

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Lofstrom, Magnus and Hayes, Joseph J., H-1bs: How Do They Stack Up to US Born Workers?. IZA Discussion Paper No. 6259, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1981215 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1981215