Can high-skilled immigrants transfer their human capital to the United States?

Abstract

Using the National Survey of College Graduates, this study examines the return to pre- and post-migration human capital of high-skilled immigrants in the United States to provide an empirical evaluation of their skill transferability. I find that, on average, high-skilled immigrants exhibit no wage return to foreign work experience, yet they demonstrate a relatively substantial return to foreign education. Delving into the heterogeneity across gender, occupation, and entry visa categories reveals the subsequent insights: female immigrants transfer less foreign experience and education than males; STEM immigrants are more adept at transferring foreign work experience than their non-STEM counterparts; temporary work visa holders exhibit a heightened ability to transfer work experience, while green card and dependent visa holders have limited transferability of foreign work experience. Lastly, English proficiency is positively associated with the transferability of work experience.