Language ability, US labor market experience and the earnings of immigrants

This study examines the effect of English language ability and time spent in the USA on the earnings of immigrants. Earnings are examined for immigrants of eight broad ancestry areas. Earnings are compared to native‐born Americans of the same ancestry. The study is limited to males between the ages of 25 and 64, using the 1990 US Census 1 percent Public Use Microdata Sample. Substantial differences are found across ancestry groups. Relative earnings slightly but significantly improve with each year spent in the USA. Relative earnings are positively and significantly affected by English language mastery, but the affects of language mastery and years spent in the USA do not appear to significantly reinforce each other.