Working Paper: NBER ID: w23529
Authors: Jennifer Hunt
Abstract: Using the National Survey of College Graduates, I investigate the degree to which holders of temporary work visas in the United States are mobile between employers. Holders of temporary work visas either have legal restrictions on their ability to change employers (particularly holders of intra-company transferee visas, L-1s) or may be reluctant to leave an employer who has sponsored them for permanent residence (particularly holders of specialty worker visas, H-1Bs). I find that the voluntary job changing rate is similar for temporary visa holders and natives with similar characteristics. For the minority of temporary workers who receive permanent residence, there is a considerable spike in voluntary moving upon receipt of permanent residence, suggesting mobility is reduced during the application period by about 20%. My analysis of reasons for moving suggests that applicants are prepared to pay a small but not large professional price for permanent access to the U.S. labor market.
Keywords: No keywords provided
JEL Codes: J61
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| green card receipt (K37) | job mobility (J62) |
| temporary visa status (Z38) | job mobility (J62) |
| green card application (K37) | job mobility (J62) |
| temporary visa holder (Z38) | job mobility (J62) |
| green card receipt (K37) | constraints on job mobility (J62) |
| job mobility (J62) | changes in pay and promotion (J62) |
| job mobility (J62) | working conditions (J81) |