The Earnings of Foreign-Born Men and Women in Israel

Uzi Rebhun, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

The study describes and accounts for gender differences in earnings among the foreign-born in Israel and how these differences vary according to origin countries. Results of OLS regressions from the 1995 population census show that, cetris paribus, immigrant woman incur no earnings penalty beyond the gender disadvantage that all women in Israel share. A detailed analysis reveals important stratification by country of birth. I suggest that the unexplained differences are influenced mainly by a combination of the immigrants’ socio-economic characteristics, the structure of economic opportunities in the host society, and cultural patterns of family commitments. The results are discussed in close connection with observations from a similar investigation on employment status. Keywords: Earnings; Foreign-born; Israel; OLS regression; Women