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Does Foreign Language Proficiency Foster Migration of Young Individuals within the European Union?

Author

Listed:
  • Aparicio Fenoll, Ainoa

    (University of Turin)

  • Kuehn, Zoë

    (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)

Abstract
Speaking the language of the host country eases migrants' integration and tends to boost their economic success in the country of destination. However, the decision to acquire language skills may in itself be determined by the intention to migrate. In addition, conditional on being a migrant, the relation between language skills and migrants' integration and economic success goes both ways. Using data on the study of foreign languages during compulsory education in European countries, we test whether and how much language proficiency determines migration flows across Europe. The European Union with basically unlimited labor mobility and pronounced differences in youth unemployment rates provides an ideal testing ground for our hypothesis. We find that speaking the language of a country increases the likelihood to migrate to that country almost fivefold.

Suggested Citation

  • Aparicio Fenoll, Ainoa & Kuehn, Zoë, 2014. "Does Foreign Language Proficiency Foster Migration of Young Individuals within the European Union?," IZA Discussion Papers 8250, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp8250
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Fenoll, Ainoa Aparicio & Kuehn, Zoë, 2019. "Immigrants move where their skills are scarce: Evidence from English proficiency," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    2. Rupérez Micola, Augusto & Aparicio Fenoll, Ainoa & Banal-Estañol, Albert & Bris, Arturo, 2019. "TV or not TV? The impact of subtitling on English skills," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 487-499.
    3. Huber, Matthias & Uebelmesser, Silke, 2023. "Presence of language-learning opportunities and migration," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    4. Weingarten, Severin & Uebelmesser, Silke, 2015. "Language Learning and Migration: A New Dataset on Language Course and Exam Participation," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 112958, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    5. Aparicio Fenoll, Ainoa & Kuehn, Zoë, 2016. "Education Policies and Migration across European Countries," IZA Discussion Papers 9755, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Ainhoa Aparicio Fenoll & Zoë Kuehn, 2017. "Compulsory Schooling Laws and Migration Across European Countries," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 54(6), pages 2181-2200, December.
    7. Silke Uebelmesser & Severin Weingarten, 2017. "A Macro-level Analysis of Adult-age Language Learning," CESifo Working Paper Series 6511, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    return to skills; language proficiency; migration; education;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration

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