title: Do immigrants screened for skills do better than family reunification immigrants?
abstract: "It is sometimes thought that immigrants [to the United States] who are screened for occupational skills are likely to become more productive Americans than immigrants who gain admission on the basis of family ties to native-born U.S. citizens or to previous immigrants. However, the expected differential may be small or nonexistent because: 1) kinship immigrants have access to family networks; 2) whereas employers may screen for short-term productivity, family members may screen for long-term productivity; and 3) native-born U.S citizens who sponsor spouses may be particularly adept at screening for long-term success. Longitudinal data on the 1977 immigrant cohort is used to compare initial and longer-term occupational outcomes among employment and kinship immigrants.  Results indicate a narrowing of the differential, due both to higher rates of occupational downgrading among employment immigrants and of occupational upgrading among kinship immigrants."
mesh_terms: D000569:Americas; D003710:Demography; D019049:Developed Countries; D004467:Economics; D004526:Efficiency; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D004651:Employment; D005190:Family; D005191:Family Characteristics; D006280:Health Workforce; D009656:North America; D011153:Population; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011640:Public Policy; D012106:Research; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014171:Transients and Migrants; D014481:United States
keywords: Americas; Comparative Studies; Demographic Factors; Developed Countries; Economic Development; Economic Factors; Employment; Employment Status; Family And Household; Human Resources; Immigrants; Kinship Networks; Labor Force; Macroeconomic Factors; Migrants; Migration; Migration Policy; North America; Northern America; Occupational Status; Policy; Population; Population Dynamics; Population Policy; Productivity; Research Methodology; Social Policy; Socioeconomic Factors; Socioeconomic Status; Studies; United States