A laser structure is studied, which exploits tunneling-injection of electrons and holes into quantum dots (QDs) from two separate quantum wells (QWs). An extended theoretical model is developed allowing for out-tunneling leakage of carriers from QDs into the opposite-to-injection-side QWs (electrons into the p-side QW and holes into the n-side QW). Due to out-tunneling leakage, parasitic recombination of electron-hole pairs occurs outside QDs - in the QWs and optical confinement layer. The threshold current density j(th) and the characteristic temperature T-0 are shown to be mainly controlled by the recombination in the QWs. Even in the presence of out-tunneling from QDs and recombination outside QDs. a tunneling-injection laser shows potential for significant improvement of temperature stability of j(th) - the characteristic temperature T-0 remains very high (above 300 K at room temperature) and not significantly affected by the QD size fluctuations. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.