Can Immigrants Transfer their Skills? Evidence from International Census Records

This grant is co-funded by the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.

Evidence from generations of economists, sociologists, and historians show that immigrants earn less than native born Americans when they arrive in the U.S. The gap between immigrants’ and natives’ earnings could either reflect lower skills or lower payment for existing skills. Doctoral student in economics Adrian Haws will examine immigrants’ skills and occupations in their origin country and compare their post-migration outcomes with those of U.S. natives with the same skills. He will analyze census records from the U.S., Norway, Canada, and Great Britain for his study.