Woodrow-Lafield, Karen A., Xiaohe Xu, Bunnak Poch, and Thomas Kersen. 2001. “Immigrant Skills and Timing of Naturalization: Mexico, China, and India.” Presented at the annual meeting of the Population Association of America, Washington, D.C., March 29-31, 2001.



The changing national origin mix of immigrant flows of the past three decades evoked debates about implications of immigrant skills at admission for assimilation. The purpose of this study is to explore hypotheses as to influence of human capital for propensity to naturalize. The data are for immigrants, lawful permanent residents, linked with naturalizations as of 1996. The analyses include male immigrants admitted in 1983-1991 from three leading countries—197,000 from Mexico, 61,000 from China, and 62,000 from India, of whom 13 percent, 41 percent, and 40 percent, respectively, have naturalized. Prior research has shown those admitted under employment-sponsored criteria are more likely to naturalize. This research adopts parallel approaches of using reported occupation and using potential occupational earnings values to further elaborate on national origin and progression to citizenship. Those immigrants for whom occupational backgrounds are indicative of economic assimilation may be more likely to naturalize more quickly than others, irrespective of admission category.