2025/09/19 by Amuedo-Dorantes, Catalina, Arenas Arroyo, Esther, Mahajan, Parag +1
#H-2B visa #employment #firm dynamics #guest workers #migrants
paper · doi:10.57938/a16cd7c6-6567-46b2-8480-34188c794b35
How do migrant workers impact firm performance? We exploit an unexpected Change in firms’ likelihood of securing low-wage workers through the U.S. H-2B visa program to address this question. Using comprehensive administrative data, we find that access to H-2B workers raises firms’ annual revenues and survival likelihood. We do not find evidence of crowding out of non-H-2B workers or negative spillover effects on competitor firms. Our results support the notion that formal guest worker programs can mitigate labor shortages while limiting harm to incumbent workers.