Occupational Status and Health Insurance Among Immigrants: Effects by Generation, Length of Residence in U.S., and Race

The occupational mobility of immigrants may be an important link between length of US residence/generation and health insurance status. Methods 2003 and 2005 Current Population Survey data are analyzed to assess the relationship between occupation and length of residence/generation and their association with health insurance for immigrant workers. Using a decomposition method, we measure how much of the differences in coverage are due to length of residence/generation versus occupation. Results Newly-arrived immigrants have lower insurance rates across all occupations, compared to longer-settled immigrants and native-born persons. Improvements are observed among immigrants with longer length of residence while the second generation reaches parity with the third+ generations. Coverage differs by occupation, with high-skilled occupations maintaining high levels and lower-skilled occupations experiencing the largest gains. While differences in coverage are mostly due to shifts in length of residence, occupational attainment makes significant contributions-particularly among Hispanics. Discussion The inclusion of occupational status increases understanding of the role that length of residence/generation plays in determining insurance status.