Languages of work and earnings of immigrants in Canada outside Quebec

Using data from the 2011 National Household Survey, this study explores the effect on earnings of using different languages at work for immigrants in Canada outside Quebec. The economic returns of using various languages of work are analysed with OLS regressions. As noted by Grenier and Nadeau (2013), English plays an important role in the workplace because of its international lingua franca status. This study finds that the immigrants who receive the highest wages are those who work in English only. Those who earn the least are those who use their home language most often and English second on a regular basis. In terms of gender, the negative effects of using languages other than English at work are larger for males than for females. In addition, immigrants whose home language is closer to English get higher earnings