Migrant Response to Industrialization in Four Rural Areas, 1965-70. Agricultural Economic Report No. 270.

Immigrants competed on a limited scale with residents for new jobs in four industrializing rural areas in Arizona, the Central Ozarks, Mississippi, and Arkansas during 1965-70. This study determined: (1) competition for jobs between residents and immigrants; (2) need for immigrants to staff industries; and (3) differences between attributes of employed residents and immigrants. The four multicounty areas were selected because they represented varying types of rural areas, had similarly strong rates of industrialization, exhibited differences in age levels and employment patterns, and had substantial increases in nonfarm employment from 1962 to 1968. Questionnaires were administered to 1,275 employees from 26 plants which had either been established or had experienced considerable expansion since 1965. The plants included 5 apparel, 5 nonelectrical machinery, 5 electrical equipment, 3 food products, and 8 other types. Among the findings were (1) about 22 percent of the jobs surveyed were obtained by new and returning immigrants, although there apparently was sufficient excess labor locally to fill most positions; (2) in general, immigrants tended to be younger and have more education than residents and were more likely to fill the managerial positions; and (3) factors such as proximity of other family members and more pleasant living conditions influenced many workers to migrate or return. (Author/NQ)