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. 2010 Jan 1;2(1):165.
doi: 10.1257/app.2.1.165.

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

Hoyt Bleakley  1 , Aimee Chin
Affiliations

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

Hoyt Bleakley et al. Am Econ J Appl Econ. .

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' English proficiency, 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, ethnic enclave residence. (JEL J24, J12, J13, J61).

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. English-Speaking Ability by Age at Arrival
Notes: Data are from the 2000 IPUMS. Sample size is 191,534 (composed of people who immigrated to the U.S. before age 15 and are currently aged 25-55, and with nonmissing English variable). In Panel A, displayed for each age at arrival is the mean English-speaking ability. In Panel B, displayed for each age at arrival is the difference in mean English-speaking ability between people from non-English-speaking countries and people from English-speaking countries. Means are weighted by IPUMS weights, and regression-adjusted for age, race, Hispanic and sex dummies. The race categories used were White, Black, Asian & Pacific Islander, Multiracial and Other. The English-speaking ability ordinal measure is defined as: 0 = no English, 1 = not well, 2 = well and 3 = very well.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Select Outcomes by Age at Arrival
Notes: Data are from the 2000 IPUMS. Panels A , C and D use data for all childhood immigrants and Panel B uses data for the subset that is currently married with spouse present. Means are weighted by IPUMS weights, and regression-adjusted for age, race, Hispanic and sex dummies.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Birdsong David. Age and second language acquisition and processing: A selective overview. Language Learning. 2006;56:9–49.
    1. Bleakley Hoyt, Chin Aimee. Language Skills and Earnings: Evidence from Childhood Immigrants. Review of Economics and Statistics. 2004;86(2):481–496.
    1. Bleakley Hoyt, Chin Aimee. What Holds Back the Second Generation? The Intergenerational Transmission of Language Human Capital among Immigrants. Journal of Human Resources. 2008 Spring;43:267–298. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Capps, Randy Michael Fix, Reardon-Anderson Jane. Snapshots of American Families III. 13. The Urban Institute; Washington, D.C.: 2003. Children of Immigrants Show Slight Reductions in Poverty, Hardship.
    1. Dávila Alberto, Mora Marie T. The Marital Status of Recent Immigrants in the United States in 1980 and 1990. International Migration Review. 2001;35(2):506–524.

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