Asian Americans in the Labor Market: Public Policy Issues

Asian American/Pacific Islander public policy issues in the labor market are examined using the 2000 Census PUMS (Public Use Micro Sample) data. AAPI labor market problems raised by earlier studies are revisited with the more recent data. Southeast Asians, Vietnamese, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders continue to face problems of poverty/low income, unemployment, and discrimination in occupations and earnings. Many API groups are less likely to be employed in managerial occupations controlling for factors such as education and potential experience. New policy issues suggested by the data are lower rates of self-employment for many APIs compared to non-Hispanic whites as well as lower rates of homeownership by all API groups compared to non-Hispanic whites