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Age at Arrival, English Proficiency, and Social Assimilation Among U.S. Immigrants

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Author Info
Hoyt Bleakley () (Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago, NBER, and CReAM)
Aimee Chin () (Department of Economics, University of Houston, and NBER)

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Abstract

Are U.S. immigrants’ English proficiency and social outcomes the result of their cultural preferences, or of more fundamental constraints? Using 2000 Census microdata, we relate immigrants’ marriage, fertility and residential location variables to their age at arrival in the U.S., and in particular whether that age fell within the “critical period” of language acquisition. We interpret the differences between younger and older arrivers as effects of English-language skills and construct an instrumental variable for English-language skills. Two-stage-least-squares estimates suggest that English proficiency increases the likelihood of divorce and intermarriage. It decreases fertility and, for some groups, ethnic enclave residence.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM), Department of Economics, University College London in its series CReAM Discussion Paper Series with number 0913.

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Date of creation: May 2009
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Handle: RePEc:crm:wpaper:200913

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, and Vacancies - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

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Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Chiswick, Barry R & Miller, Paul W, 1995. "The Endogeneity between Language and Earnings: International Analyses," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 13(2), pages 246-88, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Raquel Fernández & Alessandra Fogli, 2006. "Fertility: The Role of Culture and Family Experience," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 4(2-3), pages 552-561, 04-05. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  3. Brian Duncan & Stephen J. Trejo, 2007. "Ethnic Identification, Intermarriage, and Unmeasured Progress by Mexican Americans," NBER Chapters, in: Mexican Immigration to the United States, pages 229-268 National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Angrist, Joshua D & Lavy, Victor, 1997. "The Effect of a Change in Language of Instruction on the Returns to Schooling in Morocco," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 15(1), pages S48-76, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Edward P. Lazear, 2007. "Mexican Assimilation in the United States," NBER Chapters, in: Mexican Immigration to the United States, pages 107-121 National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!]
  6. Summers, Robert & Heston, Alan, 1988. "A New Set of International Comparisons of Real Product and Price Levels Estimates for 130 Countries, 1950-1985," Review of Income and Wealth, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 34(1), pages 1-25, March.
  7. Maude Toussaint-Comeau & Sherrie L. W. Rhine, 2004. "Tenure Choice with Location Selection: The Case of Hispanic Neighborhoods in Chicago," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 22(1), pages 95-110, 01. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Hoyt Bleakley & Aimee Chin, 2008. "What Holds Back the Second Generation?: The Intergenerational Transmission of Language Human Capital Among Immigrants," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 43(2), pages 267-298. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Xin Meng & Robert G. Gregory, 2005. "Intermarriage and the Economic Assimilation of Immigrants," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 23(1), pages 135-176, January. [Downloadable!]
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Cited by:
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  1. Delia Furtado & Nikolaos Theodoropoulos, 2009. "Intermarriage and Immigrant Employment:The Role of Networks," University of Cyprus Working Papers in Economics 3-2009, University of Cyprus Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
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