The effect of language training on immigrants’ integration: Does the duration of training matter?

B-Tier
Journal: Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization
Year: 2023
Volume: 212
Issue: C
Pages: 160-198

Authors (4)

Pont-Grau, Alex (not in RePEc) Lei, Yu-Hsiang (Hong Kong University of Scienc...) Lim, Joel Z.E. (not in RePEc) Xia, Xing (Yale-NUS College)

Score contribution per author:

0.503 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Language training programs have become a crucial part of immigrant integration policies in many developed countries. We examine whether the intensity of training, in terms of duration, increases the likelihood of integration, particularly labor market integration. We investigate a government-sponsored language training program for immigrants in France. Using both difference-in-differences (DiD) and matching-DiD, we find that, for employed immigrants, longer duration of training significantly increases their chances of having a formal-sector job and a permanent employment contract. We also find suggestive evidence that more effective conveyance of knowledge on labor market institutions, and greater opportunities to expand one’s social network during the program, underlie the benefits of longer training hours. These effects are more pronounced among more educated immigrants, but disappear for refugees.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:jeborg:v:212:y:2023:i:c:p:160-198
Journal Field
Theory
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-25