A recent study carried out by Statistics Canada has revealed patterns, in the employment rates of Landed Immigrants who have settled in Canada. The report examines the employment rates of individuals, from regions, including Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America in the year 2023. This analysis provides valuable insights into the current landscape for these diverse communities within the Canadian workforce.
Landed Immigrants – Who Are They?
Before we delve into the results it’s crucial to clarify that when Statistics Canada mentions “landed immigrant ” they are referring to people who have acquired residency in Canada. This category does not include individuals, with status, such, as students or workers holding work permits. Additionally Canadian citizens who were born in the country or have gone through the naturalization process are not included in this classification.
Highest Employment Rates: Africa and Asia
The study focused on immigrants aged over 15 years throughout various regions across the globe. It revealed that those from Africa and Asia displayed the highest average employment rates compared to other regional groups. The findings stand as follows:
- Africa: 67.7% employment
- Asia: 66.3% employment
- Latin America: 66% employment
- North America: 56.6% employment
- Europe: 56.6% employment
The national average employment rate for this cohort was 62.7%. Remarkably, these results remained consistent across sexes, with only minor variations when considering males and females separately.
Core-Aged Employment Rates Tell a Different Story
While immigrants from Africa and Asia seem to have the highest overall employment rates, a different picture emerges when focusing on core-aged immigrants (individuals aged 25-54). In this population segment, the previous statistics appear almost entirely reversed:
- Europe: 88.3% employment
- Latin America: 82.8% employment
- North America: 82.7% employment
- Asia: 81.7% employment
- Africa: 79.8% employment
For core-aged immigrants, the national average employment rate was 82.6%. This pattern also remained consistent across sexes, with only minor fluctuations for each gender.
Diverging Employment Patterns Among Different Immigrant Cohorts
The employment data reveals an interesting inversion in employment rates among immigrants from different global regions. According to the study, landed immigrants from Africa and Asia exhibit higher chances of being employed between the ages of 15-25 or above 54 than their counterparts from Europe, Latin America, and North America. On the other hand, those from Europe, Latin America, and North America outperform other immigrant groups in the 25-54 age bracket, indicating their strong alignment with the labor market during these years.
A potential explanation for the contrasting employment rates between these cohorts could be cultural differences during school years. The noticeable discrepancy in national employment averages (62.7% vs. 82.6%) suggests that immigrants from Europe, Latin America, and North America might prioritize education between ages 15-25 over working, unlike their counterparts from Asia and Africa. Consequently, this leads to lower scores for some regional cohorts in the “15 and over” group but a significant increase in core-aged workers’ employment rates.
The Need for Inclusion of Temporary Foreign Workers and International Students
While the study sheds light on immigrant working habits, it has some limitations due to the omission of temporary foreign workers and international students from its data set. These two important groups significantly contribute to Canada’s labor force and require consideration in future research.
As of December 2022, Canada is home, to 800,000 people who possess work permits. Over the decade this figure has risen by 108% underscoring the role these individuals play in bolstering the nations labor force. Moreover, Canada’s international student population is expected to reach one million by 2023. To support this group the government has extended their work hour allowances until 2024.
To obtain a more comprehensive understanding of Canada’s labor force dynamics and immigrant contributions, future studies must incorporate data on temporary foreign workers and international students alike.
