Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Care-providing parents of immigrants fill in a labor market niche in the receiving economy. This research examines the intergenerational support for working women in the context of immigration.  Using panel data derived from Current Population Survey (CPS) and instrumental variable of retirement age in source countries, this research found that having a co-residing grandparent increases foreign-born mothers’ labor participation probability by nine to 17 percent, and the effects differ by birth region/ country, and educational levels.  The research also uses difference-in-difference approach to reinforce the finding that co-residing parents significantly alleviates the labor participation decline of foreign-born females after transition to motherhood.