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Living and working in ethnic enclaves: E nglish Language proficiency of immigrants in US metropolitan areas
Author(s) -
Beckhusen Julia,
Florax Raymond J.G.M.,
Graaff Thomas,
Poot Jacques,
Waldorf Brigitte
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
papers in regional science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.937
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1435-5957
pISSN - 1056-8190
DOI - 10.1111/pirs.12023
Subject(s) - immigration , metropolitan area , fluency , demographic economics , ethnic group , language proficiency , population , geography , psychology , demography , sociology , economics , mathematics education , archaeology , anthropology
We use data on Mexican and C hinese immigrants in the US to calculate the average marginal effects of residential and occupational segregation on immigrants' ability to speak E nglish, and similarly the effects of E nglish fluency of family members. Our results confirm that residential segregation is generally inversely related to E nglish language proficiency of immigrants, except for skilled C hinese immigrants. Allowing for occupational fixed effects, the minority population share at the place of work is relevant for proficiency in E nglish among skilled C hinese, but not for M exicans and unskilled C hinese. We also find that the presence of E nglish‐speaking adults in the household increases the probability of immigrants' proficiency in E nglish.