Language-Skill Complementarity in Major Immigrant Groups of the 1990s

Abstract

While there has been some research into the economic importance of English language skills, little has been done to study differences between immigrant groups. This paper investigates the effects of English ability in Mexican, Chinese, and Soviet immigrants. Data from IPUMS is used to measure returns to language skills and education in each of the three groups. The results confirm the hypothesis that various immigrant groups benefit differently from English language ability. Mexicans generally have much lower language effects than the other two groups. Language-skill complementarity, a hypothesis that claims language ability and education interact positively, is supported in the Mexican and Chinese, but not the Soviet group. The results of this project are important to the analysis of U.S. immigration policy and evaluation of language training programs. It also provides opportunity for further research into the nature of the differences between the various immigrant groups.