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California work visa: Study shows positive effect from immigrants

On Behalf of | Nov 1, 2012 | Employment Immigration

A surprising new study shows that while immigrants in this country have had a slightly negative impact on wages for American employees who compete with them, overall they made quite a positive impact on the American economy. While the news is good, it may not help California immigrants struggling to receive a work visa. Still, one economist believes that the wave of immigrants entering into this country from 1990 to 2007 actually increased the national income per worker.

He estimated the increase at the average of over $5,000 per year. He reached the conclusion that immigrants were actually responsible for lifting up the ‘overall economy’ of the country. The findings of the research also showed that, overall, immigrants were responsible for boosting the ‘profitability’ of some American businesses and even created the opportunity for additional jobs.

The study pointed to foreigners often turning to occupations that involved manual tasks or physical labor. American workers who lived in states where there are large numbers of less-educated immigrants chose work that involved more communication, jobs such as bank tellers or cashiers. This specialization trend caused immigration to actually positively influence the growth of productivity.

For the most part, this study found relatively little negatives regarding immigration and the job force. However, this does not correct the difficulty that some California workers may have with obtaining a work visa. Immigrants all over the nation often bring specialized skills or sheer numbers to career fields that are in dire need. With this, it would seem that the process of getting a work visa should be less difficult than it actually is. Some immigrants may find it helpful to obtain knowledgeable assistance as they seek such work visas.

Source: The New York Times, “Immigration and American Jobs,” Eduardo Porter, Oct. 19, 2012