Wages and occupational risks of Mexican immigrants in the United States

The reality of Mexican immigrants in the United States shows that. in recent years, there has been a notable prevalence of accidents and illnesses that are closely linked to their labor activity. Their immigration status, low human capital levels and poor knowledge of the English language, are some of the elements that lead workers to insert themselves into activities that put their health and physical integrity at risk. Using data from the Survey of Migration in the Northern Border of Mexico, a descriptive analysis is carried out and quantile regressions are estimated to analyze the relationship between the wages of Mexican immigrants in the United States and the accidents or illnesses that they incur as a result of their job. It is observed that Mexicans employed in the United States legally receive higher wages and sleer less work-related accidents relative to their undocumented counterparts. Moreover, the results suggest that among undocumented workers there is a wage premium associated with working in dangerous occupations, particularly in the upper-part of the wage distribution.