Official language proficiency and immigrant labour market outcomes: Evidence from test-based multidimensional measures of language skills

Description: A large body of studies have consistently demonstrated that higher proficiency in the destination-country language improves immigrant labour market outcomes. However, because of the lack of objective measures of language skills, previous studies have mainly drawn on subjective measures of language proficiency and were confined to the effect of only one dimension or general language skills. This study examines the effects of test-based measures of official language proficiency in four dimensions — listening, speaking, reading and writing —on immigrant employment and earnings.

Issue Number: 2023001

DOI: https://doi.org/10.25318/36280001202300100002-eng