Immigrants who study English can increase their income by an average of $ 7,100 annually, according to a study carried out in the city of Boston (Massachusetts) by the Economic Mobility Corporation.
Learning the language is, without a doubt, the most valuable achievement of immigrants when they arrive in the country to look for a better job and support their families, says the presentation of the study carried out over three years and published by The Boston Globe newspaper.
The researchers found that at least two years of English studies are necessary to improve the employment status of immigrant workers who, otherwise, are condemned to jobs that do not pay well.
These low-paying jobs include homemakers, janitors, gardeners, construction workers, food preparation workers, and drivers. According to the study, one in ten working-age adults in the United States – some 19 million people – have limited English proficiency. This conditions their ability to advance to better positions in the workforce and becomes an insurmountable barrier, the article adds. The article even points out immigrants who have university degrees, but do not speak English, are relegated to unskilled jobs that pay them up to 30% less than those who do not have studies, but learn the language.