Labor Market Incorporation of Central American Immigrants in Washington, D.C.

This essay addresses the controversy over whether structural or assimilation theories best explain the labor market incorporation of international migrants in the United States with a case study of recent Central American migrants in Washington, D.C.

It considers the structural factors and human capital variables that influence wage levels and employment mobility for Central American women versus those that affect Central American men.

Data from a study of 50 Central American households indicate that the variables affecting wage levels and employment mobility are clearly differentiated on the basis of gender.

Structural factors have greater significance for men, while human capital variables appear to influence wage levels for women, to a limited extent. But gender factors and structural barriers in the Washington, D.C. area economy pose blocks to women’s occupational success and render them incapable of fully utilizing their human capital advantages.