Language Knowledge and Earnings in Catalonia
Document de Treball No. XREAP 2010-07
40 Pages Posted: 22 Apr 2011
There are 2 versions of this paper
Language Knowledge and Earnings in Catalonia
Language Knowledge and Earnings in Catalonia
Date Written: July 1, 2010
Abstract
This paper investigates the economic value of Catalan knowledge for national and foreign first- and second-generation immigrants in Catalonia. Specifically, drawing on data from the “Survey on Living Conditions and Habits of the Catalan Population (2006),” we want to quantify the expected earnings differential between individuals who are proficient in Catalan and those who are not, taking into account the potential endogeneity between knowledge of Catalan and earnings. The results indicate the existence of a positive return to knowledge of Catalan, with a 7.5% increase in earnings estimated by OLS; however, when we account for the presence of endogeneity, monthly earnings are around 18% higher for individuals who are able to speak and write Catalan. However, we also find that language and education are complementary inputs for generating earnings in Catalonia, given that knowledge of Catalan increases monthly earnings only for more educated individuals.
Keywords: Language, Earnings, Immigrants, Endogeneity, Complementarity
JEL Classification: J79, J24, J61, C31
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
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