RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The Effect of Literacy on Immigrant Earnings
JF Journal of Human Resources
JO J Hum Resour
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 380
OP 410
DO 10.3368/jhr.XLI.2.380
VO XLI
IS 2
A1 Ferrer, Ana
A1 Green, David A.
A1 Riddell, W. Craig
YR 2006
UL http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/XLI/2/380.abstract
AB We examine the impact of literacy on immigrant earnings and the sources of lower returns to education and experience among immigrants. We find that the native-born literacy distribution dominates that for immigrants. However, the two groups obtain similar returns to literacy skills, contrary to discrimination-based explanations for immigrant—native-born earnings differentials. Among the university-educated, literacy differences account for about two-thirds of the earnings gap. However, low returns to foreign experience have a larger impact on this differential. Among the less educated, literacy differences and differences in the returns to experience have similar effects on the earnings differential.