LANGUAGE ABILITY, US LABOR-MARKET EXPERIENCE AND THE EARNINGS OF IMMIGRANTS

This study examines the effect of English language ability and time sp ent in the USA on the earnings of immigrants. Earnings are examined fo r immigrants of eight broad ancestry areas. Earnings are compared to n ative-born Americans of the same ancestry. The study is limited to mal es between the ages of 25 and 64, using the 1990 US Census 1 percent P ublic Use Microdata Sample. Substantial differences are found across a ncestry groups. Relative earnings slightly but significantly improve w ith each year spent in the USA. Relative earnings are positively and s ignificantly affected by English language mastery, but the affects of language mastery and years spent in the USA do not appear to significa ntly reinforce each other.