Full Citation
Title: Foreign Scientists and Engineers and Economic Growth
Citation Type: Journal Article
Publication Year: 2014
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Abstract: Attracting highly educated immigrants- especially scientists and engineers- is a potentially effective economic growth-promoting strategy. This paper evaluates the contribution of foreign-born scientists and engineers to the wage and employment growth of native-born workers. First, we analyze the effects of an increase in the number of foreign H-1B workers across U.S. cities and Federal Skilled Worker Program immigrants across Canadian cities. Second, we compare the effects of attracting scientists and engineers as a growth strategy against alternatives such as pursuing fast-growing industries and expanding tertiary education institutions. We conclude by arguing that the H-1B program can explain a quarter of the wage growth of U.S. college-educated workers from 1990 to 2010, and that the currently proposed enlargement of the program could generate an additional 2 percentage points of wage growth for highly educated natives over the next 20 years.
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Authors: Peri, Giovanni; Shih, Kevin; Sparber, Chad
Periodical (Full): Cato Papers on Public Policy
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Volume: 3
Pages: 109-184
Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Labor Force and Occupational Structure, Migration and Immigration
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