Hispanic Immigrant Occupational Mobility: Re-Examining the Role of Cities

Daniel Sanchez, Ohio State University

Hispanic immigration, a vital component in the economic development of American cities is entering a period of great uncertainty. Hispanic migration and Mexican migration in particular, declined sharply after the economic collapse of 2007. For the first time, births accounted for a larger share of Hispanic population growth in the United States than migratory flows. This historic shift requires a re-focusing of attention to patterns of mobility for non-native born Hispanics. This research seeks to examine the types of metropolitan areas attracted, retained and afforded the most upwards occupational mobility for Hispanics in the last decade. Location quotients and a double cohort analysis are used to determine industrial concentration and occupational mobility from 1990 through 2010. Results generally confirm existing theories of mobility, but indicate the metropolitan areas with lower levels of continued migration can be advantageous to older cohorts (pre-1990) of non-native born Hispanics.