Working Papers

Impact of COVID-19 Immigration Restrictions on the US Labor Market and Skill Demand.

This paper examines how COVID-19 immigration restrictions impacted U.S. labor markets, using data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) and Burning Glass’s (BG) online job postings. I find that the drop in immigration increased native employment and reduced foreign-born employment, revealing a substitution effect and driving disproportionate wage growth. However, immigration restrictions spurred firms to adopt new technologies and automation over time, altering skill demands across regions and industries.

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COVID-19 Pandemic and Changes in Employer Skill Requirements: Evidence from the US.

Using online job vacancy data, I study how the dramatic local employment shock due to the pandemic changed labor demand and how the COVID-19 pandemic differs from the impact of the Great Recession on the labor market. I find that the downskilling of education and experience requirements during the pandemic sharply contrasts with persistent upskilling after the Great Recession.