The Role of Family Structure in Immigrants' Economic Integration

Abstract

This dissertation consists of three essays that focuses on the role of family structure in shaping the economic integration of immigrants. The first essay analyzes the interaction between the labor market and the marriage market for immigrants. I examine the relationship between interethnic marriage and the labor market integration of immigrants. The main findings of this study indicate that intermarriage has a positive effect on immigrants' labor market outcomes. Intermarried immigrants earn more than their co-ethnic married counterparts. Marrying a native is associated with a wage premium of seven percent. Moreover, intermarriage premium varies across generations. Second-generation immigrants are found to receive no gain from intermarriage. The second essay investigates whether there is a significant difference in the educational attainment of second-generation immigrants associated with the presence of a native-born parent. It is important to study educational attainment of children of immigrants as human capital investment is a crucial factor for labor market success. The second essay provides evidence that children with a native-born parent have higher educational attainment than those with two immigrant parents. The third essay empirically examines the impact of culture on the work behavior of second-generation immigrant women. Using female labor force participation and total fertility rates in the country of ancestry as cultural proxies, I find that culture matters for the female labor supply. In line with the sociological literature that considers intermarriage as a sign of inclination toward cultural assimilation, I also find that the impact of cultural proxies is significantly larger for women with immigrant parents than for those with intermarried parents.