Labor

The Center tracks employment trends for Latinos on a regular basis, examining differences by nativity and generation and offering comparisons to other racial and ethnic groups. Assessing employment by region, occupation and industry offers measures for both the status of Latino workers and the U.S. economy's demand for them.

Related Publications

1.21.2010
Statistical Portrait of Hispanics in the United States, 2008
This statistical profile of the Latino population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2008 American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It covers virtually the same topics as those in the long form of the decennial census. The ACS is designed to provide estimates of the size and characteristics of the resident population, which includes persons living in households and, for the first time, persons living in group quarters.

1.21.2010
Statistical Portrait of the Foreign-Born Population in the United States, 2008
This statistical profile of the foreign-born population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2008 American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It covers virtually the same topics as those in the long form of the decennial census. The ACS is designed to provide estimates of the size and characteristics of the resident population, which includes persons living in households and, for the first time, persons living in group quarters.

12.11.2009
Between Two Worlds: How Young Latinos Come of Age in America
Latino youths ages 16 to 25 are satisfied with their lives, optimistic about their futures and place a high value on education, hard work and career success. Yet they are much more likely than other American youths to drop out of school and to become teenage parents. They are more likely than white and Asian youths to live in poverty. Two-thirds are the U.S.-born children or more distant descendants of immigrants, and many straddle two cultures -- American and Latin American. A Pew Hispanic Center report based on a new nationwide survey of Latino youths and on analyses of government data examines the values, attitudes, experiences and self-identity of this generation as it comes of age in America.

5.12.2009
Through Boom and Bust: Minorities, Immigrants and Homeownership
During the housing boom of 1995-2005, the nation's minority groups experienced greater gains than whites in homeownership rates. But in the market meltdown since then, homeownership rates have fallen more steeply for most minorities than for whites. Through both boom and bust, Hispanics and blacks have been far more likely than whites to receive higher-priced loans and carry higher debt relative to their incomes. Meantime, while immigrants have a substantially lower homeownership rate than the native born, they also have experienced a smaller decline in the rate during the market bust. The report also examines how demographic patterns are related to foreclosure rates across the nation's 3,141 counties.

3.5.2009
Statistical Portrait of the Foreign-Born Population in the United States, 2007
This statistical profile of the foreign-born population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It covers virtually the same topics as those in the long form of the decennial census. The ACS is designed to provide estimates of the size and characteristics of the resident population, which includes persons living in households and, for the first time, persons living in group quarters.

3.5.2009
Statistical Portrait of Hispanics in the United States, 2007
This statistical profile of the Latino population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It covers virtually the same topics as those in the long form of the decennial census. The ACS is designed to provide estimates of the size and characteristics of the resident population, which includes persons living in households and, for the first time, persons living in group quarters.

2.12.2009
Unemployment Rose Sharply Among Latino Immigrants in 2008
The current recession is having an especially severe impact on employment prospects for immigrant Hispanics. The unemployment rate for foreign-born Latinos increased 2.9 percentage points from the fourth quarter of 2007 to the fourth quarter of 2008 compared with an economy-wide increase of 2.0 percentage points. Trends in other key indicators, such as the employment rate, the number employed and labor force participation, also reveal a more severe impact on immigrant Latinos. Native-born Hispanics and blacks have also felt strong negative effects from the recession.

12.15.2008
Latino Workers in the Ongoing Recession: 2007 to 2008
A small but significant decline has occurred during the current recession in the share of Latino immigrants active in the U.S. labor force. The decrease is sharpest among immigrants from Mexico and among immigrants who arrived in the U.S. since 2000. But the increase in the unemployment rate for immigrant Hispanics so far is not as high as the increase for native-born Hispanics. This development, however, could be an artifact, a consequence of the withdrawal of foreign-born Hispanics from the labor force.

10.2.2008
Sharp Decline in Income for Non-Citizen Immigrant Households, 2006-2007
Incomes of non-citizen households--nearly half of which are led by undocumented immigrants--fell 7.3% from 2006 to 2007, in sharp contrast to an increase of 1.3% for all U.S. households. Household incomes of non-citizens who are Hispanic; from Latin America; recently arrived; male; less educated; and employed in construction, production or service occupations fell the most.

6.4.2008
Latino Labor Report, 2008: Construction Reverses Job Growth for Latinos
The latest economic slowdown has had a disproportionate impact on Latino workers. From an historic low in late 2006, the unemployment rate for Latinos rose sharply in 2007 and currently stands well above the rate for non-Latinos. Immigrant Hispanics, especially Mexican and recent arrivals, have been hurt the most by the slump in the construction industry. Weekly earnings for most groups of Hispanic workers also slipped backward last year. There are no signs Latino immigrants are leaving the U.S. labor market but they now play a smaller role in the growth of the Hispanic workforce than in recent years.

1.23.2008
Statistical Portrait of Hispanics in the United States, 2006
This statistical profile of the Latino population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2006 American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It covers virtually the same topics as those in the long form of the decennial census. The ACS is designed to provide estimates of the size and characteristics of the resident population, which includes persons living in households and, for the first time, persons living in group quarters.

1.23.2008
Statistical Portrait of the Foreign-Born Population in the United States, 2006
This statistical profile of the foreign-born population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2006 American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It covers virtually the same topics as those in the long form of the decennial census. The ACS is designed to provide estimates of the size and characteristics of the resident population, which includes persons living in households and, for the first time, persons living in group quarters.

1.23.2008
Arizona: Population and Labor Force Characteristics, 2000-2006
This fact sheet presents a demographic profile of Arizona's Hispanic and foreign-born populations in 2006. Arizona is the first state in the nation to enact a law that penalizes businesses for knowingly hiring unauthorized immigrants. The Legal Arizona Workers Act took effect on Jan. 1, 2008.

12.13.2007
2007 National Survey of Latinos: As Illegal Immigration Issue Heats Up, Hispanics Feel a Chill
The 2007 National Survey of Latinos finds Hispanics are feeling a range of negative effects from the increased public attention to immigration and stepped up enforcement measures.

12.6.2007
Hispanics and the 2008 Election: A Swing Vote?
This report analyzes Census data and voting trends on a state-by-state basis to explore the potential of Latinos to be a "swing vote" in the 2008 presidential election.

8.21.2007
1995-2005: Foreign-Born Latinos Make Progress on Wages
Foreign-born Latinos, especially the newly arrived, were much less likely to be low-wage earners in 2005 than in 1995. Yet despite progress into the middle of the wage distribution, many foreign-born Latinos remain low-wage earners. Over the same period, foreign-born Asians boosted their presence in the high-wage workforce.

3.7.2007
Construction Jobs Expand for Latinos Despite Slump in Housing Market
Hispanic workers landed two out of every three new construction jobs in 2006, benefiting from strong employment growth in the industry even as the housing market endured a year-long slump. The construction industry continues to be a key source of jobs for Hispanics and especially for those who are foreign born. The vast majority of new construction jobs in 2006 were filled by foreign-born Latinos, many of them recently arrived.

9.27.2006
Latino Labor Report 2006: Strong Gains in Employment
The Hispanic unemployment rate reached a historic low in the second quarter of 2006. The gap between the seasonally-adjusted unemployment rates for Latinos and non-Latinos was the smallest since 1973, when employment data on Latinos first became available. Wages for Latino workers also rose at a faster rate than for other workers in 2005-06. The healthy job market for Hispanic workers has been driven by the construction industry. But construction is showing signs of a slowdown that could impact Latino employment in the near future, especially for foreign-born workers.

8.29.2006
A Statistical Portrait of Hispanics at Mid-Decade
This statistical profile of the Latino population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2005 American Community Survey public use microdata file, which was released August 29, 2006. The topics covered are virtually the same as those in the long form of the decennial census. Fully implemented nationwide for the first time in 2005, the ACS became the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It provides statistical resources not previously available except with data from a decennial census.

8.29.2006
A Statistical Portrait of the Foreign-Born Population at Mid-Decade
This statistical profile of the foreign born population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau's 2005 American Community Survey public use microdata file, which was released August 29, 2006. The topics covered by the ACS are virtually the same as those in the long form of the decennial census. Fully implemented nationwide for the first time in 2005, the ACS became the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It provides statistical resources not previously available except with data from a decennial census.

8.10.2006
Growth in the Foreign-Born Workforce and Employment of the Native Born
Rapid increases in the foreign-born population at the state level are not associated with negative effects on the employment of native-born workers. An analysis of the relationship between growth in the foreign-born population and the employment outcomes of native-born workers revealed wide variations but no consistent pattern across the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The size of the foreign-born workforce, its relative youth and low education level are also unrelated to the employment prospects for native workers. These findings emerge from the analysis of Census Bureau data for the boom years of the 1990s and the subsequent recession and slowdown.

4.13.2006
The Labor Force Status of Short-Term Unauthorized Workers
In order to better understand the impact of some proposals before Congress, this fact sheet examines the labor force status of unauthorized workers who have been in the country for five years or less. These short-term illegal migrants would not be eligible for a legalization program under some proposals. Estimates based on the March 2005 Current Population Survey show that 2.5 million unauthorized workers arrived in the country between 2000 and 2005, accounting for just under 2% of the U.S. labor force. More than half of them are employed in construction and service occupations where they make up a larger share of the labor force. For example, short-term unauthorized workers make up about 10% of all persons employed in food preparation and service. This fact sheet provides estimates of the number of short-term unauthorized workers by industry and occupation as well as their weekly earnings and unemployment rate.

12.15.2005
The Occupational Status and Mobility of Hispanics
A research report sponsored by the Pew Hispanic Center finds a worsening in the occupational status of Hispanics and a growing gap with respect to whites during the 1990s. That is surprising because the decade was witness to the longest economic expansion in recent U.S. history. But even as unemployment was on the decline for all racial and ethnic groups, structural shifts in employment across industries contributed to a greater division in the occupational status of Hispanics and whites. The occupations in which Hispanics are concentrated rank low in wages, educational requirements and other indicators of socioeconomic status.
Read the research paper

12.6.2005
Survey of Mexican Migrants, Part Three: The Economic Transition to America
This study analyzes the employment experience of migrants before they left Mexico, their transition into the U.S. labor market, and their economic status in their new jobs. It uses the Pew Hispanic Center's Survey of Mexican Migrants, which interviewed 4,836 migrants, mostly believed to be undocumented, as they were applying for identity cards issued by Mexican consulates. The vast majority were gainfully employed before they left for the U.S. Failure to find work at home does not seem to be the primary reason that the estimated 6.3 million undocumented migrants from Mexico have come to the U.S.

5.2.2005
Latino Labor Report, 2004: More Jobs for New Immigrants but at Lower Wages
Hispanics, mostly recently arrived immigrants, accounted for over 1 million of the 2.5 million new jobs created in 2004. But Hispanics are the only major group of workers to have suffered a two-year decline in wages and they now earn 5 percent less than two years ago. The growing supply and concentration of immigrant Latinos in certain occupations suggests that they are competing with each other in the labor market to their own detriment. While non-Hispanics moved into high-skill occupations, the vast majority of new jobs for Hispanic workers were in relatively low-skill occupations calling for little other than a high school education.

10.18.2004
The Wealth of Hispanic Households: 1996 to 2002
According to the study, the median net worth of Hispanic households in 2002 was $7,932. This was only nine percent of $88,651, the median wealth of non-Hispanic White households at the same time. The net worth of Non-Hispanic Blacks was only $5,988. Thus, the wealth of Latino and Black households is less than one-tenth the wealth of White households even though Census data show their income is two-thirds as much.

6.16.2004
Latino Labor Report, First Quarter 2004: Wage Growth Lags Gains in Employment
The "jobless recovery" may have turned around, but gains for Latinos have not been widespread. Immigrant Latinos, especially the most recent arrivals, have captured the most jobs.

2.23.2004
Latino Labor Report, 2003: Strong but Uneven Gains in Employment
Latinos experienced substantial gains in the U.S. labor market in 2003. The number of Hispanics added to the employment rolls was twice as high as in 2002, and unemployment eased downward. For the first time since January 2000, Latinos experienced increases in employment that consistently outpaced their population growth in the United States.

10.7.2003
Jobs Lost, Jobs Gained: The Latino Experience in the Recession and Recovery
Latinos in the U.S. labor force were slow to recover from the effects of the 2001 recession, lagging non-Hispanic whites in restoring employment growth and the unemployment rate to their pre-recession levels. Immigrants and young Latinos encountered particularly hard times but college-educated Hispanics experienced substantial improvements in employment levels. These are among the key findings of this report on the labor market experience of Latino workers since the economic slowdown began at the end of 2000.

6.12.2003
Hispanic Youth Dropping Out of U.S. Schools: Measuring the Challenge
High school dropout rates are a key performance measure for the American education system. This report shows that the standard method for calculating the dropout rate leads to a distorted picture of the status of Hispanic students in U.S. schools.

5.28.2002
Work or Study: Different Fortunes of U.S. Latino Generations
The Latino labor force is experiencing a major generational shift as increasing numbers of today's young native-born Latino Americans become workers. This report describes the wage, employment outcomes, and labor market attachment of Latino adults by age and generation during the economic expansion of the late 1990s.

3.21.2002
How Many Undocumented: The Numbers Behind The U.S.-Mexico Migration Talks
There are more than 5 million unauthorized workers in the U.S. economy. This study estimates that these workers have become a very substantial presence in the sectors where they are concentrated. More than a million undocumented persons are employed in manufacturing and a similar number in the service industries. More than 600,000 work in construction and more than 700,000 in restaurants.

3.21.2002
Guest Workers: New Solution, New Problem?
This paper addresses three questions: (1) How many unauthorized workers are employed in U.S. agriculture? (2) How many unauthorized farm workers would be eligible for a legalization or guest worker program that required e.g. 60, 90 or 120 days of U.S. farm work during a qualifying 12-month base period? (3)How many guest workers would be admitted under the most likely legalization/guest worker programs; that is, what are likely exit rates from the farm work force for newly legalized workers? The concluding section discusses the implications of alternative scenarios for dealing with immigration and farm workers.

1.24.2002
New Lows From New Highs: Latino Economic Losses In The Current Recession
The long-term effects of the recession will likely depress employment and incomes in Hispanic communities at least through the end of 2004, and judging from historical experience that time span will be longer than for any other major population group. Even if predictions of a turnaround later this summer prove valid, pocketbook issues will vex Latinos for several years after the national economy recovers. Second-generation Latinos--U.S.-born children of an immigrant parent-- are now experiencing high job losses. In recent recessions Hispanic unemployment has fallen hardest on low-skilled immigrants. This time, young people who are the products of U.S. schools are experiencing the highest unemployment rates among Latinos. Many work in skilled occupations, including managers, technicians and professionals, and many are in the early years of household formation. Prolonged joblessness could prove a historic setback for them, their communities and the nation.

1.24.2002
Hispanics and the Current Economic Downturn: Will The Receding Tide Sink Hispanics?
The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential impact of the current economic downturn on Hispanic workers and families, and analyze how prepared Hispanics are for the economic recession. The paper is divided into four sections: The first section briefly explores the progress made by Hispanics during the economic boom of the 1990s. The second section uses the experience of Hispanics in past economic downturns to predict how they will fare in the current economic slowdown. The third section analyzes how well prepared Hispanic workers are for the economic slowdown. The final section draws conclusions based on the first three sections.

1.24.2002
The Impact of the 2001/2002 Economic Recession on Hispanic Workers: A Cross-Sectional Comparison of Three Generations
Currently there are nearly 35 million Hispanics in the U.S., making them the second-largest ethnic group in the country. But the effect of the current recession on this important group is unknown. Yet, it is unlikely that all Hispanics have been similarly affected by the recession. Hispanics are a varied group not just in terms of national origin, but also in terms of time in the U.S., ranging from newly arrived immigrants to U.S.-born Hispanics. This report examines how three generations of Hispanics have fared in September and October 2001, compared to September 2000 and September 1999.

1.24.2002
The Socioeconomic Status of Hispanic New Yorkers: Current Trends and Future Prospects
This research report presents data showing the major demographic and socioeconomic changes in the Hispanic population of New York in the 1990s. It shows that despite gains in some areas, on average, Hispanics in New York were not significantly better-off in 2000 than in 1990. The household income per capita of Hispanic New Yorkers increased only slightly in the 1990s, compared to a much stronger expansion among White New Yorkers. By 2000, Hispanics displayed per-capita income of about one-third that of the non-Hispanic White population.  The roots of the lack of change in Hispanic overall socioeconomic status in the 1990s lie, first, in the major demographic changes in the city, as reflected in an influx of relatively unskilled immigrants and an exodus of relatively skilled, high-income Hispanic New Yorkers; it also responds to the sluggish economic recovery of the city from one of its most severe recessions this century.