The "Negative" Assimilation of Immigrants: A Special Case

Barry Chiswick and Paul Miller

No 2010:9, SULCIS Working Papers from Stockholm University, Linnaeus Center for Integration Studies - SULCIS

Abstract: Research on the economic or labor market assimilation of immigrants has to date focused on the degree of improvement in their economic status with duration in the destination. The theoretical underpinning for this finding is the international transferability of skills. This paper addresses whether positive assimilation will be found if skills are very highly transferable internationally. It outlines the conditions for “negative” assimilation in the context of the traditional immigration assimilation model, and examines the empirical relevance of the hypothesis using data on immigrants from the English-speaking developed countries (i.e., the UK, Ireland, Canada and Australia/New Zealand) to the United States. Comparisons with the native born are also presented to test whether the findings are sensitive to immigrant cohort quality effects. Even after controlling for cohort effects, “negative” assimilation (a decline in earnings with duration) is found for immigrants in the US from the English-speaking developed countries. Negative assimilation is also found for immigrants from the English-speaking developed countries in Australia and from Nordic countries in Sweden.

Keywords: Immigrants; Earnings; Negative Assimilation; English-speaking countries; Sweden (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F22 J31 J61 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 45 pages
Date: 2010-07-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ltv and nep-mig
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Published as Chiswick, Barry R. and Paul W. Miller, 'The "Negative" Assimilation of Immigrants: A Special Case' in Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 2011, pages 502-525.

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Related works:
Working Paper: The "Negative" Assimilation of Immigrants: A Special Case (2008)
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