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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. repec:zbw:rwirep:0398 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    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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