Labor market integration of non-Chinese immigrants in Hong Kong from 1991 to 2011: Structure of global market or White privilege?

Abstract

Previous studies of Hong Kong immigrants have largely focused on those Chinese from the mainland, and less attention has been paid to non-Chinese immigrants. As exceptions to this, a few studies have focused on the channels of non-Chinese immigrants to Hong Kong, but less research has examined their labor market outcomes. This is partly because theories about immigrants in Asia’s global city are underdeveloped, and the traditional labor market assimilation theory based on the North American and European experience may not easily translate to the case of global cities in Asia. In this research, we examine the employment status, occupational rank, and earnings outcomes of Chinese and non-Chinese immigrants from the perspectives of global economic structure and White privilege. Using 5% Hong Kong census/by-census data from 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, and 2011, we draw two major conclusions. First, in the Hong Kong labor market, immigrants from more developed countries enjoy a labor market advantage, which demonstrates the advantages of core-nation origin. In contrast, their counterparts from peripheral nations are penalized. The labor market gap between immigrants from core nations and peripheral nations grew at the turn of the 21st century but narrowed in 2006. Second, White immigrants are privileged in the Hong Kong labor market, showing that White privilege has been transmitted to a non-White-dominant society.