The Role of English Fluency in Migrant Assimilation: Evidence from United States History

Zachary Ward

No 49, CEH Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic History, Research School of Economics, Australian National University

Abstract: I estimate the premium for speaking English and the rate of language acquisition in the early 20th century US using new linked data on over half a million migrants. Compared with today's migrants, early 20th century migrants arrived with much lower levels of proficiency, yet many acquired language skills rapidly after arrival. Learning to speak English was correlated with a small upgrade in occupational-based earnings (2 to 6%); the premium has at least doubled between 1900 and 2010, revealing that English fluency has become an increasingly large barrier to migration over time.

Keywords: English fl uency; language; migrant assimilation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F22 J24 J61 J62 N31 N32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-his, nep-lab, nep-mig and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:auu:hpaper:049

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