Spouse Effects on Foreign-Born Immigrants' Employment Status

Hatsuki Higashida, University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)

This study aims at analyzing impacts of marriage and spouse effects on employment status of foreign-born spouses. Studies on the relationship between spouse’s resources and success at work have shown that spouse’s education and employment status have significant effects on spouse’ s employment status. However little is known about impacts of marriage and spouse effects on employment status of immigrant spouses. Based on human capital theory and theory of status homogamy of married couples, this study raises a question that whether immigrants’ human capital have impact on the other spouse’ occupational attainment. Data used in this study is New Immigrant Survey-2003. Preliminary results are spouse’s age and 6 to 8 years of education attained before migration was significant on spouse’s employment status. Spouses with longer years of schooling have negative impact on partners’ employment status.