U.S. jobs gained and lost through trade: a net measure

Groshen, Erica L.; Hobijn, Bart; McConnell, Margaret M.

Journal Article

U.S. jobs gained and lost through trade: a net measure

Abstract: Recent concerns about the transfer of U.S. services jobs to overseas workers have deepened long-standing fears about the effects of trade on the domestic labor market. But a balanced view of the impact of trade requires that we consider jobs created through the production of U.S. exports as well as jobs lost to imports. A new measure of the jobs gained and lost in international trade flows suggests that the net number of U.S. jobs lost is relatively small-2.4 percent of total U.S. employment as of 2003.

Keywords: International trade; Exports; Labor market;