Transcript Immigrant Economic and Social Integration in Canada: Research, Measurement, Data Development By Garnett Picot Director General Analysis Branch Statistics Canada.

Immigrant Economic and Social Integration in Canada:
Research, Measurement, Data Development
By
Garnett Picot
Director General
Analysis Branch
Statistics Canada
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Introduction
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Integration a major policy issue
» 20% foreign born, 47% in Toronto
» Visible minority neighbourhood in three largest cities: six in
1981: 254 in 2001
» Immigration at high levels, likely to remain so or increase
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Deterioration in economic outcomes of immigrants
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Statistics Canada responded to need for policy-relevant
analysis
» Research on social and economic outcomes
» Development of new data sets
» Adding new variables to existing data sets
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64 research articles in past six years
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Deteriorating earnings outcomes
Ln (imm./Can. born earnings)
Earnings* of immigrants compared with those of comparable Canadianborn - Log earnings ratio** Full-time, full-year workers aged from 16 to 64, males
1.00
1975 to 1979 cohort
0.90
1980 to 1984
1985 to 1989
0.80
1990 to 1994
0.70
1995 to 1999
0.60
2000 to 2004
0.50
1 to 5
6 to 10
11 to 15
16 to 20
Source: Census of Population
Years since immigration
* Predicted values based on a model
** The ln (immigrant earnings/Canadian-born earnings)
21 to 25
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Why the decline in entry earnings among
immigrants
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Research in Canada has focuses on entry earnings decline
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Changing source regions
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Deteriorating labour market outcomes for new labour market
entrants in general
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“Credentialism” issue: important, but perhaps not explanation for
the decline?
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Declining returns to foreign work experience
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Since 2000, poorer labour market for IT professionals and
engineers, in which immigrants are highly concentrated
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Changes in selection system had significant
effect on characteristics of entering immigrants
Entering
cohort
1991
2000
2005
% with
university
degree
17.7
44.0
45.8
% in skilled
economic
class
33.0
52.1
49.7
% of skilled principle
applicants in IT/
engineering occupations
5.2
42.9
30.6
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Resulted in improvement in economic outcomes at top of
immigrant earnings distribution: did little to improve low-income
rate, chronic poverty
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Deterioration post 2000 concentrated among highly educated in
skilled economic class (IT/engineer): difficulty integrating these
workers
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Outcomes for second generation Canadians:
The children of immigrants
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Economic outcomes remain quite positive
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Educational attainment equal or better than among Canadianborn youth
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Rates of employment/unemployment and reliance on
government transfers similar to Canadian-born
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Earnings equal to or higher than Canadian-born
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Entering immigrants perspective on life in
Canada
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Longitudinal survey of immigrants
» 2000 entering immigrant cohort
» Tracked for four years, 12,000 respondents
Some dissatisfaction with economic experiences… lack of
employment opportunities one of aspects disliked the most
» But 84% to 92% indicated quality of life better
Freedom, rights, safety security and prospects for future liked the
best
Material well-being better than before?
Economic class: ⅓ better, ⅓ same, ⅓ worse; family class: 58%
better
Three quarters would come to Canada if had to make decision again
70% of immigrants initiated citizenship process after four years,
additional 22% intend to
About two-thirds of Canadian report positive outlook towards
immigration
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Data sources and data development
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Census of population remains most important source for
immigration research
Advantages
– Sample size… entering cohorts, detail on variation in
outcomes by source country, education, city, ethnic
group, occupation, etc.
– Analysis of neighbourhood effects possible
Disadvantages
– No “language ability” measure although language
variables
– No data on immigrant entry class: economic, family
class, refugee
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Other data sources used in immigrant analysis
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Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics
Adult Literary Survey
National Population Health Survey
National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth
Data development to enhance ability to conduct analysis
» Joint with policy department partners
» Immigrant Data Base
– Longitudinal taxation records
– To assess earnings trajectories of entering
immigrants in different entry classes
– No comparison groups
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» Longitudinal Administrative Data Base
– 20% sample of tax filers
– Population coverage in high 90s among working age
population
– Taxation data, formed families
– For entering cohorts 1980 to 2004, focus on
 Chronic low-income
 Earnings gap at entry and trajectory
 Use of welfare programs
 Out migration of entering immigrants
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» Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants
– 2000 entering cohort, track for four years
– True panel survey
– No comparison group
– Information on housing, education, foreign credential
recognition, employment, health, values, social networks,
perceptions of settlement in Canada
– 12,000 sample
» Ethnic Diversity Survey
– Uses 2001 Census as sample frame
– 57,000 sample size, cross-sectional
– Information on ethnic origin, religion, language, family
background, social network, civic participation, attributes,
trust, etc.
» Added immigrant identifies to labour force survey in 2007
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Effect of immigration on social cohesion in Canada
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Important topic in many countries
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No research at Statistics Canada, but can speculate as to
why not a major issue to date
Possible reasons
 Canada has never pursued or developed a single national
identify. At inception in 1867, two founding peoples (French
and English).
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Canada is a nation of immigrants, and seen to be so by
population. Canadians take pride in ability to welcome
newcomers.
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Immigrants very highly educated, generally ambitious, seek
best for their children.
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All political parties agree immigration essential to future
economic youth, generally accepted by population.
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Political and civic engagement of visible minorities significant
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Immigration is racially very diverse; no single groups on
which discontent can focus
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No illegal immigrant problem on which to focus
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Conclusion
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Statistics Canada’s response to concerns re: immigration
integration guided by priorities in place:
» Substantive research and analysis is important
» Co-operation with policy departments a priority
» Links with academic community important
» Statistics Canada has comparative advantage re:
analysis in some areas
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