## Migration & the Economics of Language

_IMF Blog, March 2, 2016_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Migration & the Economics of Language](https://www.imf.org/en/blogs/articles/2016/03/02/migration-the-economics-of-language)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/blogs/articles/2016/03/02/migration-the-economics-of-language/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/blogs/articles/2016/03/02/migration-the-economics-of-language/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/blogs/articles/2016/03/02/migration-the-economics-of-language/bundle-manifest.json)

## Bibliographic details
- Authors: iMFdirect
- Published: March 2, 2016

---

### Key findings
- Language skills for immigrants are a form of human capital.
- Knowing the local language increases the probability of getting a job and of higher earnings.
- A common lingua franca helps promote the growth of the entire economy.

### Interview focus
- Interview with Barry Chiswick, a professor of economics at George Washington University.
- Exploration of the history of human capital as far back as Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations in 1776.
- Examination of what this historical concept means for immigration in the modern global economy.
- Date: March 2, 2016.

### Access
- Listen to the interview here: https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/249546394

*Source: Migration & the Economics of Language, iMFdirect, March 2, 2016.*

---


## References

- [this interview](http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/SinglePodcastHighlight.aspx?podcastid=386)

_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/blogs/articles/2016/03/02/migration-the-economics-of-language_