Title: BEYOND ASSIMILATION, DO IMMIGRANTS' CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE FLEXIBLE LABOR FORCE? EVIDENCE FROM 21 st CENTURY SPAIN
Abstract: To increase our understanding of immigrants’ assimilation process in Spain—a country that has experienced an unprecedented immigration boom since the turn of the new century, we compare its immigrants and natives’ occupational distributions. Using data from the 2000 to 2008 Spanish Labor Force Survey (EPA), we find that immigrants are more occupationally mobile than natives. Much of this greater flexibility is explained by immigrants’ assimilation process soon after arrival to the host country: just after arrival, immigrants enter occupations below their skill level and then move toward more skilled occupations with time. Although assimilation does occur, the evidence shows that there is no full adaptation. In addition, we find evidence that this greater flexibility reflects a greater sensitivity of high-skilled and female immigrants to Spanish economic changes, and thus suggests that immigrants are making the Spanish economy more adaptable to new technology and demand shocks.
Publication Year: 2009
Publication Date: 2009-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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