Economic Impact of Migrant Workers on Wisconsin's Economy

.......................................................................................................................................................................................... vi Purpose ..............................................................................................................................................................................................1 Background ......................................................................................................................................................................................1 Methodology.....................................................................................................................................................................................4 Results ..............................................................................................................................................................................................5 I. Interviews with Migrant Workers .............................................................................................................................5 Demographic Profile of Wisconsin Sample .................................................................................................................5 Income and Expenditures of Wisconsin Migrants ......................................................................................................8 § Wages of Wisconsin Migrant Workers .........................................................................................8 § How Workers Spend their Wages................................................................................................10 § Special Purchases............................................................................................................................11 § Remittances to “Home” .................................................................................................................12 § Taxes .................................................................................................................................................13 Economic Impact of Expenditures and Special Purchases ......................................................................................13 § Migrants’ Expenditures..................................................................................................................13 § Special Purchases............................................................................................................................13 II. Survey of Employers of Migrant Workers in Wisconsin...................................................................................14 Employers’ Investment in the Migrant Workforce ...................................................................................................15 § Wages................................................................................................................................................16 § Recruitment......................................................................................................................................16 § Housing.............................................................................................................................................18 § Other Investments...........................................................................................................................18 Employers’ Dependence on Migrant Workers ..........................................................................................................19 Employers’ Outlook on Future Use of Migrant Labor.............................................................................................20 Employers’ Business Opinions.....................................................................................................................................21 III. Federal Funds Received by Wisconsin for Support of Migrant Programs ..................................................23 Economic Impact of Inflow of Federal Funds...........................................................................................................24 IV. Summary of the Total Economic Impact of Migrant Labor .............................................................................26 Summary and Conclusions .........................................................................................................................................................27 References .......................................................................................................................................................................................29