Immigrant Language Proficiency, Earnings, and Language Policies

Monica Boyd,Xingshan Cao

doi:10.25336/p6np62

Abstract

This paper addresses two questions: 1) what are the impacts of language proficiency on the earnings of Canadian adult immigrants; 2) what are the current policy responses. Using a five-level scale of English/French language use, our analysis of Public Use Microdata File for the 2001 census confirms the positive association between proficiency in Canada’s charter language(s) and immigrant earnings. Compared to permanent residents who are highly proficient in English and/or French, those with lower levels of proficiency have lower weekly earnings. Quantile regressions reveal that the relative advantage of English/French language proficiency is higher for those in the top quarter of the earnings distribution; conversely, greater penalties exist for immigrants with low levels of language proficiency at the upper end of the earnings distribution. The likely impacts of federal policies on increasing English/French language proficiency of immigrant workers are discussed, focusing on two federal government initiatives for language training and two recent immigration policy changes.

Highlights

International migration, here defined as the movement of people across international borders for purposes of permanent settlement, has long contributed to Canada’s population growth, to its economic and political development, and to its demographic and social diversity
Our analysis shows that the earnings gaps between those with high and low levels of English/ French language proficiency are greatest for immigrants in well paying jobs
Are we unable to determine whether settlement funds are spent in an effective manner ... but we have no information on who accesses these services, which would allow us to determine whether these particular expenditures contribute in a positive or anticipated manner to the integration process of the individual immigrant. (Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 1998). Despite these severe information constraints, we suggest that Language Instruction for Newcomers (LINC) and related general settlement-focused language training programs will have little impact on improving the language skills of immigrants who are currently in Canada and who are in the labour force

Summary

Introduction

International migration, here defined as the movement of people across international borders for purposes of permanent settlement, has long contributed to Canada’s population growth, to its economic and political development, and to its demographic and social diversity. In Model 2, regression coefficients, the related deviations from the mean and mean weekly earnings show that even after taking other factors into account the relationship between levels of language proficiency and earnings is positive; that is, immigrants who have high levels of host country linguistic proficiency have higher earnings while those who lack knowledge of English and/or French have the lowest earnings.

Results

Conclusion