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The Best Of Both Skills: U.S. Immigration, Work Visas, And Local Labor Shortages In Missouri, Adriano Udani

Center for Applied Economics

In spite of political rhetoric condemning immigrants’ contributions to the United States, scholars have persistently demonstrated positive social and economic contributions of immigrants. Studies such as these pose important policy implications for Missouri. To what extent does immigration contribute to recent Missouri economic outcomes? How are immigrant workers distributed across Missouri? Are there positive economic outcomes associated only with immigration of high-skilled workers? My analysis shows that higher per capita personal income and higher employment in certain industrial sectors are not solely attributed to high-skill workers. The results here suggest that economic productivity in Missouri is attributed to having a …