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Title: The Effects of English Proficiency among Childhood Immigrants: Are Hispanics Different?

Citation Type: Miscellaneous

Publication Year: 2007

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Abstract: We test whether the effect of English proficiency differs between Hispanic andnon-Hispanic immigrants. Using 2000 Census microdata on childhoodimmigrants, we relate labor market, education, marriage and fertility variables totheir age at arrival in the United States, and in particular whether that age fellwithin the critical period of language acquisition. We interpret the observeddifferences as an effect of English-language skills and construct an instrumentalvariable for English proficiency. Immigrants from both groups exhibit lowerEnglish proficiency if they arrive after the critical period, but this drop in Englishskill is larger for Hispanics. The effect of English skill on earnings and educationis nevertheless quite similar across groups, while some differences are seen formarriage and fertility outcomes.

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Authors: Bleakley, Hoyt; Akbulut, Mevlude; Chin, Aimee

Publisher: University of Chicago

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Migration and Immigration, Other, Race and Ethnicity

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