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WAGE AND MOBILITY EFFECTS OF LEGALIZATION: EVIDENCE FROM THE NEW IMMIGRANT SURVEY *
Author(s) -
Lofstrom Magnus,
Hill Laura,
Hayes Joseph
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of regional science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.171
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1467-9787
pISSN - 0022-4146
DOI - 10.1111/jors.12005
Subject(s) - legalization , immigration , amnesty , sanctions , illegal immigrants , legal status , demographic economics , work (physics) , wage , survey data collection , immigration reform , authorization , labour economics , political science , economics , business , immigration law , law , computer security , politics , mechanical engineering , statistics , mathematics , computer science , engineering
Using New Immigrant Survey data, we identify immigrants who were unauthorized to work prior to obtaining Legal Permanent Resident status, and examine whether lacking legal status to work in the United States constrains employment outcomes of illegal immigrants. The data reveal no evidence of improved employment outcomes attributable to legal status, except among the high‐skilled. In light of evidence that unauthorized immigrants experienced increased wages as a result of receiving amnesty through the 1986 Immigration and Reform Control Act, we interpret the results as consistent with a reduced threat of employer sanctions combined with widespread availability of false work authorization documents.