STEM Workers, H-1B Visas, and Productivity in US Cities
- 1 July 2015
- journal article
- research article
- Published by University of Chicago Press in Journal of Labor Economics
- Vol. 33 (S1), S225-S255
- https://doi.org/10.1086/679061
Abstract
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workers are fundamental inputs for innovation, the main driver of productivity growth. We identify the long-run effect of STEM employment growth on outcomes for native workers across 219 US cities from 1990 to 2010. We use the 1980 distribution of foreign-born STEM workers and variation in the H-1B visa program to identify supply-driven STEM increases across cities. Increases in STEM workers are associated with significant wage gains for college-educated natives. Gains for non-college-educated natives are smaller but still significant. Our results imply that foreign STEM increased total factor productivity growth in US cities.This publication has 18 references indexed in Scilit:
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