There’s a general sense that first-generation immigrants’ compensation and career advancement lag at work — probably because they lack language fluency, social networks, and an understanding of cultural norms — but that their domestically born children do much better since they’ve grown up in the new culture. At a high level, there’s some evidence to back that impression up.
Research: The Immigrant Income Gap
How gender, race, and language impact the pay of first and second generation immigrants.
May 07, 2020
HBR Staff/C dric Fumi r /EyeEm/Getty Images
Summary.
Researchers don’t know a lot about how immigrants fare in the workplace. At a high level, the general impression that first-generation immigrants suffer downsides, but that their children do fine, has some evidence to back it up. However, if you look at the data on a more granular level, you find that gender, race, and mother tongue have a bigger impact on pay and promotion than generational status.