NY25-05: Understanding Late Arriving Immigrants' Social Security Eligibility and Retirement Security: A Mixed-Method Study

Late-arriving immigrants constitutes the largest segment (49%, SSA 2024) of Social Security “never beneficiaries,” individuals who lack adequate earnings to qualify for benefits. The proportion of older individuals among recent immigrants to the U.S. is increasing. A significant portion of these late-arriving immigrants persist in working into their older years, primarily due to financial constraints and the pursuit of Social Security eligibility. Our proposed mixed-method study will utilize nationally representative datasets and Social Security administrative records to examine how the age of arrival relates to labor force participation near retirement age, Social Security eligibility, and various other economic outcomes. Furthermore, we will conduct a community-based participatory study involving in-depth qualitative interviews and explore the economic challenges and survival strategies adopted by this often marginalized group, who are typically hard to reach and study.