Donald Trump and his supporters want to limit the number of black and brown immigrants coming to this country. Some of his supporters believe that these brown and black immigrants are replacing white Americans and “white American culture.” Because some of these immigrants enter the country on family-based visas, Trump wants to slash the number of family-based visas in favor of highly skilled and educated workers. But because 47 percent of these family-based immigrants have college degrees, compared with 29 percent of the U.S.-born population, their call for more educated immigrants seems like a sham.
Trump and his supporters assume that highly skilled and educated immigrants would be white. But based on the outcomes Canada has experienced from a merit-based immigration system, it is unlikely to fulfill Trump’s expectations. The Canadian merit-based system has not advantaged the number of immigrants from the U.S. and Europe. Between 2011 and 2016, there were more than twice as many immigrants from Central America and the Caribbean than from the U.S. and more immigrants from Africa than from Europe and the U.S. combined. Immigrants from these regions of the world are typically highly skilled, even though they may not be able to obtain jobs that are commensurate with their education.
The high skill workers selected by merit has not produced the desired economic effects. Immigrant wages and employment, for example, tend to be lower than one would expect based on skill level. Part of the reason for the economic underperformance of the system seems to be the failure to adequately take into account different payoffs for educational attainments in various industries. A bachelor’s degree may not yield the same benefits in physics as in business. Moreover, Canadian employers may not recognize immigrants’ foreign qualifications. One immigrant engineer reported that he had designed trains for Siemens in India, but had to obtain another degree in engineering from a Canadian school for an entry-level job at Siemens Canada. Thus, an unanticipated consequence of the Canadian merit-based system is that provides workers who compete with lower skilled native workers.
In the U.S., many low skilled jobs, such as in nursing homes and agriculture, are filled by low skilled immigrants. U.S. immigration policy should be designed to fill jobs that U.S.-born workers do not supply. U.S.-born workers fill many skilled positions. Unless the Trump administration wants immigrants to compete with U.S.-born workers, this plan may need further work.
Trump and his supporters assume that highly skilled and educated immigrants would be white. But based on the outcomes Canada has experienced from a merit-based immigration system, it is unlikely to fulfill Trump’s expectations. The Canadian merit-based system has not advantaged the number of immigrants from the U.S. and Europe. Between 2011 and 2016, there were more than twice as many immigrants from Central America and the Caribbean than from the U.S. and more immigrants from Africa than from Europe and the U.S. combined. Immigrants from these regions of the world are typically highly skilled, even though they may not be able to obtain jobs that are commensurate with their education.
The high skill workers selected by merit has not produced the desired economic effects. Immigrant wages and employment, for example, tend to be lower than one would expect based on skill level. Part of the reason for the economic underperformance of the system seems to be the failure to adequately take into account different payoffs for educational attainments in various industries. A bachelor’s degree may not yield the same benefits in physics as in business. Moreover, Canadian employers may not recognize immigrants’ foreign qualifications. One immigrant engineer reported that he had designed trains for Siemens in India, but had to obtain another degree in engineering from a Canadian school for an entry-level job at Siemens Canada. Thus, an unanticipated consequence of the Canadian merit-based system is that provides workers who compete with lower skilled native workers.
In the U.S., many low skilled jobs, such as in nursing homes and agriculture, are filled by low skilled immigrants. U.S. immigration policy should be designed to fill jobs that U.S.-born workers do not supply. U.S.-born workers fill many skilled positions. Unless the Trump administration wants immigrants to compete with U.S.-born workers, this plan may need further work.
Vox. Coaston.The Scary Ideology Behind Trumps Immigration Instincts.
https://www.vox.com/2018/1/18/16897358/racism-donald-trump-immigration
https://www.vox.com/2018/1/18/16897358/racism-donald-trump-immigration
HuffPost. Planas. Trump's New Immigration Plan Doesn't Make Any Sense.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-immigration-wages-working-class_n_5cdecc1ee4b00735a915c8dc
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-immigration-wages-working-class_n_5cdecc1ee4b00735a915c8dc
