TEMPORAL DIFFERENTIATION IN THE OCCUPATIONAL-MOBILITY OF IMMIGRANT AND NATIVE-BORN LATINA WORKERS

We estimate changes over time in the occupational participation of lat ina workers. Applying a ''double cohort'' method for longitudinal anal ysis with census data, we clarify the effects of economic restructurin g and economic assimilation. We investigate multiple temporal effects: immigration cohort, birth cohort, age at migration, duration in the U nited States, and advancing age. The analysis compares Latinas in sout hern California who are employed in low-wage factory jobs,vith Latinas employed in better-paying office jobs. Results indicate sharp tempora l differentiation among the Latina workers, even after controlling for human capital. The newest arrivals concentrate in the growing light-m anufacturing sector and remain there, to a relative degree, across sub sequent decades. Workers who immigrated as young children (referred to as the 1.5 generation) diverge from their parents and tend to be empl oyed in office jobs-a pattern similar to young native-born Latinas. Wi thin cohorts' careers, workers shift out of factors jobs, but there is little net shift into office work. instead cohort succession is the d ominant factor in workers' adaptation to a changing economic structure .