H-1B Visas Boost Incomes for Native Workers, New NBER Study Finds

Long-Run Effects of H-1B Immigration on the U.S. Economy (July 2026)

A new NBER working paper by Ran Abramitzky, Leah Platt Boustan, Ahmet Gulek, and Jens Hainmueller examines the long-run effects of H-1B immigration on the U.S. economy. Using the 1999–2003 visa cap expansion, the authors find that H-1B exposure raised incomes for natives and pre-existing immigrants, with gains concentrated in non-STEM occupations. The effects propagate downstream through supply chains, suggesting a productivity shock rather than a labor supply shock, with no direct effect on patenting.