In this bar graph, English proficiency means that an individual aged 5 years and older speaks only English or speaks English very well/well. According to 2009-2011 ACS data, only 45% of foreign-born Chinese in New York City are English proficient, compared 71% of all foreign-born individuals in the city. This shows that a larger percentage of foreign-born Chinese struggle more with the English language compared to other immigrants. Furthermore, 95% of native-born Chinese in New York City are English proficient, compared to 98% of all native-born individuals. This shows that limited English proficiency is a problem especially for foreign-born individuals, and especially foreign-born Chinese, but much less so for their native-born children.
The foreign-born Chinese also have a higher percentage of individuals aged 25 and over who have no high school diploma, at 45%, compared to 35% of all foreign-born individuals and 22% of all native-born individuals in New York City. At the same time, 24% of foreign-born Chinese have earned a BA degree or higher, which is slightly higher than for all foreign-born individuals in New York City (23%) but lower than for all native-born individuals (31%). In terms of education attainment, the foreign-born Chinese are bifurcated between the poorly-educated and well-educated. The Chinese as the “model minority” myth is not complete fallacy; they really do have a significant representation of highly educated and accomplished individuals. It is also misleading, because a lot of Chinese immigrants do not nearly fit the mold, as in a whopping 45%.
