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The impact of education and host language skills on the labor market outcomes of immigrants in Spain

In: Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación 5

Author

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  • Pablo Swedberg

    (St. Louis University (Madrid Campus))

Abstract

This article uses micro-data from the Spanish National Immigrant Survey (Encuesta Nacional de Inmigrantes-ENI in Spanish) carried out in 2007 among immigrants in Spain. In recent years, Spain has received unprecedented immigration flows. The economic assimilation of immigrants is crucial for keeping a cohesive and stable society, especially under the particular circumstances of Spain. As a consequence, immigrants need to invest in human capital since it plays a crucial role in determining their economic status. Educational attainment and destination language ability are two essential components of human capital of migrants. As a result, the nature of the immigrants’ labor market participation and their earnings are closely mediated by their host language proficiency and level of schooling. I carry out an analysis of the impact of Spanish language ability on the likelihood of full-time employment among immigrants in Spain. The results indicate that educational attainment and belonging to a higher Spanish speaking proficiency category both lead to an increase in the probability of holding a full-time job.

Suggested Citation

  • Pablo Swedberg, 2010. "The impact of education and host language skills on the labor market outcomes of immigrants in Spain," Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación volume 5, in: María Jesús Mancebón-Torrubia & Domingo P. Ximénez-de-Embún & José María Gómez-Sancho & Gregorio Gim (ed.), Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación 5, edition 1, volume 5, chapter 41, pages 798-824, Asociación de Economía de la Educación.
    • Handle: RePEc:aec:ieed05:05-41
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Davia, María A. & Wang, Ting & Gámez, Matías, 2019. "Language proficiency and immigrants’ labor market outcomes in post-crisis Spain," MPRA Paper 94795, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Afful, Efua Amoonua, 2013. "Heterogeneity in the Importance of English-Speaking Ability in Determination of Employment Status by Demographic Subgroups in the United States," MPRA Paper 58767, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. repec:zbw:rwirep:0398 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Isphording, Ingo, 2013. "Returns to Local and Foreign Language Skills – Causal Evidence from Spain," Ruhr Economic Papers 398, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    5. Ingo Isphording, 2013. "Returns to Local and Foreign Language Skills – Causal Evidence from Spain," Ruhr Economic Papers 0398, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Immigration; Language; Education; Occupational Success; Earnings;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

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