Family Migration and Employment: The Importance of Migration History and Gender

Abstract

This article uses event history data to specify a model of employment returns to initial migration, onward migration, and return migration among newly married persons in the US. Husbands are more likely to be full-time employed than wives, and being a parent reduces the employment odds among married women. Employment returns to repeated migration differ by gender, with more husbands full-time employed after onward migration and more wives full-time employed after return migration events. We interpret these empirical findings in the context of family migration theory, segmented labor market theory, and gender-based responsibilities.