The Supply Side of Innovation: H-1B Visa Reforms and US Ethnic Invention

William Kerr and William Lincoln ()

No 15768, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: This study evaluates the impact of high-skilled immigrants on US technology formation. We use reduced-form specifications that exploit large changes in the H-1B visa program. Higher H-1B admissions increase immigrant science and engineering (SE) employment and patenting by inventors with Indian and Chinese names in cities and firms dependent upon the program relative to their peers. Most specifications find limited effects for native SE employment or patenting. We are able to rule out displacement effects, and small crowding-in effects may exist. Total SE employment and invention increases with higher admissions primarily through direct contributions of immigrants.

JEL-codes: F15 F22 J44 J61 O31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ino, nep-lab, nep-mig and nep-sbm
Note: LS PR
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (486)

Published as William R. Kerr & William F. Lincoln, 2010. "The Supply Side of Innovation: H-1B Visa Reforms and U.S. Ethnic Invention," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 28(3), pages 473-508, 07.

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Related works:
Journal Article: The Supply Side of Innovation: H-1B Visa Reforms and U.S. Ethnic Invention (2010)
Working Paper: The Supply Side of Innovation: H-1B Visa Reforms and US Ethnic Invention (2010)
Working Paper: The Supply Side of Innovation: H-1B Visa Reforms and US Ethnic Invention (2008)
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