Employment Status and Labour Income of Turkish and Other Immigrants in the United States

Abstract

Turkish immigrants are a growing part of the US labour market. This article explores the employment status and labour income determinants of the Turkish immigrants in the US between 2000 and 2019, using data from the American Community Survey and comparing them with other immigrants. The estimation findings show that gender, age, marital status, English level, citizenship status, education level, occupation, and years spent in the US are significant determinants of the employment status and labour income of immigrants in the US. Although Turkish immigrants earn more on average than other immigrants, once other factors (such as gender, age, education level, years spent in the US, citizenship status, proficiency in English, and occupation) are taken into account, the regression analysis demonstrates that some Turkish immigrants earn exceptionally high salaries in the US; in contrast, the remainder earn average or below-average amounts.