The Location Choice of Employment-based Immigrants among U.S. Metro Areas*

Abstract

This paper examines the initial location choice of legal employment-based immigrants to the United States using Immigration and Naturalization Service data on individual immigrants, as well as economic, demographic, and social data to characterize the 298 metropolitan areas we define as the universal choice set. Focusing on interactions between place characteristics and immigrant characteristics, we provide multinomial logit model estimates for the location choices of about 38,000 employment-based immigrants to the United States in 1995, focusing on the top 10 source countries. We find that, as groups, immigrants from nearly all countries are attracted to large cities with superior climates, and to cities with relatively well-educated adults and high wages. We also find evidence that employment-based immigrants tend to choose cities where there are relatively few immigrants of nationalities other than their own. However, when we introduce interaction terms to account for the sociodemographic characteristics of the individual immigrants, we find that the estimated effects of location destination factors can reverse as one takes account of the age, gender, marital status, and previous occupation of the immigrants.

The Place of Place: Location and Immigrant Economic Well-being in Canada

“…To model city choice, there are numerous studies that can be used here to provide guidance (McDonald 2003;Zavodny 1999;Aslund 2005;Scott et al 2005;Cebula 2005;Bartel 1989;Kritz and Nogel 1994;Lieberson and Waters 1987;Newbold 1996). The following equation employs as many of these indicators as possible:…”

Is gateway city clustering behind Canada's declining immigrant home‐ownership rates?

“…To model the probability of living in a gateway city (the fi rst outcome), there are numerous studies that identify the determinants of city choice which can be used here to provide guidance (Lieberson and Waters, 1987;Bartel, 1989;Kritz and Nogel, 1994;Newbold, 1996;Zavodny, 1999;McDonald, 2003;Aslund, 2005;Cebula, 2005;Scott et al, 2005 …”

Location, Location, Location: Where Do Immigrants Reside in Australia?

“…example, examine location choice of immigrants and newly arrived immigrants to the USA and how this pattern changes over time. Scott et al (2005) focus on employment-based immigrants in the USA and their decision to reside in different cities. 3 Zavodny (1999) and Kaushal (2005) examine whether welfare provision affects location of immigrants in a particular state in the USA.…”

“…9 Ethnic concentration is an important influence on location choice, and the level of concentration varies between immigrant groups. A number of studies (e.g., Bartel 1989;Funkhouser 2000;Scott et al 2005) find ethnic enclaves attract immigrants to an area. 10 For example, Scott et al 2005 find that employment-based immigrants are attracted by ethnic concentration, but not the presence of large immigrant population.…”

“…A number of studies (e.g., Bartel 1989;Funkhouser 2000;Scott et al 2005) find ethnic enclaves attract immigrants to an area. 10 For example, Scott et al 2005 find that employment-based immigrants are attracted by ethnic concentration, but not the presence of large immigrant population. Moreover, interactions between individual and location characteristics are most pervasive for Chinese and Filipinos and least so for Japanese and Canadian immigrants in the USA.…”