Glass Ceiling; Different Labor Market Achievement for Asian Immigrant Men from White Men

Changhwan Kim, University of Texas at Austin

The "glass ceiling'' refers to the structural barriers that often confront ethnic minorities and women trying to reach the upper positions in labor market. In labor markets, the effect of ethnicity is complicated, so simple dichotomous indicators on whether there is discriminations based on nativity is not informative. Glass ceiling hypothesis assumes unique barriers, or at least relatively stronger barriers, exist at upper level jobs with higher prestige. To test this hypotesis, I compare Asian American immigrant men with white men in several stages of labor markets - being employed, having adequate job, and having upper level job - using combined CPS data. Test result shows that there is glass ceiling effect at upper level labor markets that is distinguished from general discrimination against minorities in labor markets, after controlling age, duration, and human capitals. Asian migrants can be professinals, and earn high wages, but they are less likely to be managers.