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Title: Does Work Eligibility Work for Foreign-born Women? H-4 Visa Policy and Labor Outcomes
Citation Type: Miscellaneous
Publication Year: 2021
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Abstract: Foreign-born married women in the U.S. have historically lower labor force participation rates (LFPR) than comparable natives. In addition to family and individual characteristicsdiscrepancies between foreign- and native-born women, foreign-born married women often face work restrictions according to their visa status in the U.S. This paper quantitatively explores the labor market effects of an H-4 Employment Authorization Document (EAD) policy change, which allowed spouses of certain H-1B visa holders to work legally in the United States. I use American Community Survey data from 2010-2019 and the difference-in-differences approach to compare labor outcomes for selected noncitizens and naturalized citizens before and after the policy change, controlling for family and individual characteristics. I find that this policy change significantly increased LFPR and employment-to-population ratio (EPR), indicating that visa work restrictions keep some foreign-born out of the labor market.
Url: https://www.econ.iastate.edu/files/page/files/xiaoyin_li_h4_policy_10_21.pdf
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Authors: Li, Xiaoyin
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Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Labor Force and Occupational Structure, Migration and Immigration
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