Most common occupations within each occupational sector by immigrant legal status
| Unauthorized workers | Temporary workers | LPRs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupational code | % | Occupational code | % | Occupational code | % |
| Professional/skilled manual | |||||
| Construction, installation, maintenance, and finishing skilled workers |
9.8 | Construction, installation, maintenance, and finishing skilled workers |
12.1 | Metal production and treatment skilled workers; vehicle, machinery, and equipment repair |
3.4 |
| Food, beverage, and tobacco production skilled workers |
7.0 | Food, beverage, and tobacco production skilled workers |
4.3 | Other craftsmen or manufacturing skilled workers |
3.4 |
| Other craftsmen or manufacturing skilled workers |
6.3 | Other operators of heavy machinery and equipment |
2.1 | Construction, installation, maintenance, and finishing skilled workers |
2.8 |
| Service/sales | |||||
| Doormen, concierges, elevator operators, bellboys, cleaning workers, gardeners, movers, and dishwashers |
12.4 | Doormen, concierges, elevator operators, bellboys, cleaning workers, gardeners, movers, and dishwashers |
17.1 | Innkeepers, bartenders, waiters, and flight attendants |
8.3 |
| Innkeepers, bartenders, waiters, and flight attendants |
7.5 | Innkeepers, bartenders, waiters, and flight attendants |
2.1 | Doormen, concierges, elevator operators, bellboys, cleaning workers, gardeners, movers, and dishwashers |
4.3 |
| Workers in retail establishments (ex: clerks, dispatchers) |
2.2 | Workers in retail establishments (ex: clerks, dispatchers) |
2.1 | Workers in retail establishments (ex: clerks, dispatchers) |
1.5 |
| Unskilled manual | |||||
| Other unskilled workers |
11.0 | Construction unskilled workers |
5.0 | Other unskilled workers |
19.2 |
| Construction unskilled workers |
5.2 | Other unskilled workers |
2.9 | Construction unskilled workers |
2.5 |
| Food, beverage, and tobacco production unskilled workers |
2.5 | Food, beverage, and tobacco production unskilled workers |
1.4 | Chemical, petroleum, oil, and plastics production unskilled workers |
0.2 |
| Agricultural | |||||
| Agricultural workers |
17.9 | Agricultural workers |
42.9 | Agricultural workers |
35.0 |
| Husbandry workers |
0.8 | Fishery or marine workers |
0.7 | Other agricultural, husbandry, forestry, fishery workers |
2.2 |
| Other agricultural, husbandry, forestry, fishery workers |
0.6 | Forestry workers |
0.7 | Foremen, overseers, and other control persons of agricultural, husbandry, or fishery activities |
1.0 |
Source: Mexican Migration Project 143; sample was limited to non-U.S. citizen, male heads of households who worked during their most recent trip to the United States when above the age of 16, 1987 to 2011.