The employment circumstances of immigrants and their children constitute a key dimension along which immigrant adaptation to the U.S. can be evaluated. We describe and analyze employment adequacy-defined as underemployment-among first, second and third (or higher) immigrant generations. Analyzing CPS data for the decade spanning 1995-2004, we find support for the notion of successful economic assimilation. The prevalence of underemployment is decidedly higher among the first-generation compared to the second or third, while the latter two groups differ little in this regard. These gross comparisons, however, mask important variation within immigrant generations, including a particular disadvantage among foreign-born non-citizens. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Underemployment Segmented assimilation Assimilation immigrants

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