Betwixt and Between: The Spectrum of Formality Revealed in the Labor Market Experiences of Mexican Migrant Workers in the United States

Abstract

Interviews with Mexican migrant workers in Portland, Oregon, reveal the inadequacy of the conception of informality to capture the complexity of their labor market experiences in the United States. We propose the term “semi-formal” to describe the large gray area between formal and informal employment, and a spectrum of formality with which to think about the degree of formality present in any particular employment situation.