ARCHIVED – Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration, 2011

This Web page has been archived on the Web

SECTION 5
Gender-based Analysis of the Impact of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

Gender-based analysis (GBA) is an evidence-based process to assess the impact of policies and programs, legislation and services on diverse groups of women, men, girls and boys. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act stipulates that Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) must report on the gender impacts of the Act. CIC’s commitment to GBA goes beyond this legislative requirement to ensure that gender considerations are taken into account across the Department’s mandate including citizenship and multiculturalism. This approach is in line with the government’s strategy to implement GBA across all departments to achieve better results for all Canadians.

As part of CIC’s ongoing commitment to advance gender equality, a new GBA policy was developed in 2010 and will be launched in 2011. The new policy will replace the 2005–2010 Strategic Framework for Gender-based Analysis at CIC. While the previous framework set the groundwork for GBA at CIC, the new policy reflects government-wide approaches to GBA by integrating gender and diversity issues across the program and policy continuum, while also continuing to build capacity and provide targeted support.

Overview of Permanent Resident Arrivals

Over the last 10 years, Canada admitted an average of 246,800 new permanent residents annually. Immigration levels ranged from 221,300 in 2003 to 280,700 in 2010. During that period, women accounted for 50.7 percent (2001) to 52.0 percent (2008) of all admissions. [Note 37]

Women are overrepresented in the Family Class as well as among accompanying spouses and dependants of economic immigrants (Chart 2). Over the last 10 years, they accounted for an average of 60.2 percent of the Family Class (ranging from 58.6 percent to 61.9 percent annually during the 10-year period) and approximately the same proportion of all accompanying spouses and dependants of economic immigrants (ranging from 55.4 percent to 62.1 percent). Men outnumbered women among economic principal applicants and refugees—accounting for 67.0 percent and 51.8 percent respectively, over the 10-year period.

Chart 2: Proportion of Women Admitted by Immigration Category, 2001–2010

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Facts and Figures 2010

Although women accounted for a small share of economic principal applicants relative to men, their share has been growing steadily, rising from 26.1 percent in 2001 to 40.2 percent in 2010. There remains a growing proportion of economic immigrants who come as live-in-caregivers—a category that is predominantly women.

While men still represent the majority of principal applicants (67 percent) from 2001 to 2010 in the Economic Class, the gender balance changed by sub-category over the 10-year period (see Chart 4). Men’s share of the two largest sub-categories, the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Provincial/Territorial Nominee Program, has been declining. For federal skilled workers, the percentage of male principal applicants declined from 77 percent in 2001 to 64 percent in 2010, while women saw increases from 23 percent in 2001 to 36 percent in 2010. For the Provincial/Territorial Nominee Program, the percentage of male principal applicants declined from 77 percent in 2001 to 69 percent 2010, whereas women’s share increased from 23 percent in 2001 to 31 percent in 2010. These changes could be a result of updates to selection criteria, changing pre-migration factors for women such as increasing educational attainment or shifting socio-economic conditions in source countries, among others. Further analysis on the impacts of these trends will continue over the next year.

Intention to Work

Over the last 10 years (2001–2010), 68.5 percent (roughly 1.3 million) of all new immigrants aged 15 to 64 indicated an intention to work upon arrival. This proportion ranged from a low of 66.4 percent in 2006 to a high of 70 percent in 2010. Furthermore, 38.8 percent of spouses and dependants of economic immigrants indicated an intention to work upon arrival, as did 99.8 percent of economic principal applicants. Across all categories, immigrant men (82.8 percent) are more likely than women (55.3 percent) to join the labour force upon arrival.

Between 2001 and 2010, more than half (52.7 percent) of the 1.3 million new labour market entrant immigrants aged 15 to 64 intended to work in a specific occupation—this group was predominantly skilled worker principal applicants (68.1 percent). The remaining new labour market entrant immigrants expressed only an intention to work upon arrival, without specifying an occupation. Males were more likely (59.2 percent) than females (43.7 percent) to have an intended occupation. As Chart 3 shows, males with an intended occupation were also more likely (67.4 percent) than females (56.4 percent) to seek jobs in management (National Occupational Classification, or NOC, skill level 0) or jobs that usually require a university education (NOC skill level A). Although the proportion of immigrants intending to work in high-skilled jobs (NOC skill levels 0 and A) was relatively stable from 2001 to 2003, between 2004 and 2009 it declined both for males and females. This steady downward trend ended in 2010 with 62.0 percent of males and 55.5 percent of females indicating their intention to work in high-skilled jobs.

Women are more likely than men to find themselves at the lower end of the occupational skill levels (NOC skill levels C and D). In 2010, 25.2 percent of females with an intended occupation were planning to join the labour force in a lower skilled occupation, compared with only 10.7 percent for males.

Chart 3: Immigrants Aged 15–64 Intending to Work in Specific Occupations by Selected Occupational Skills and Gender, Canada 2001–2010

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Facts and Figures 2010

Gender-based Analysis in Policy and Program Development

In 2010, CIC continued to apply GBA in its policy and program development, as well as in ongoing initiatives. What follows are some specific examples of this work.

CIC is proposing changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Program to help Canada select immigrants with the best chance of rapidly integrating and making a long-term contribution to the Canadian economy. Proposed changes to the points system for federal skilled workers could redirect points from the work experience factor to the language and age factors, as those factors are more predictive of economic integration and are relatively under-weighted in the current assessment. Several gender issues came to light in the analysis of proposed updates to the program. First, the current federal skilled worker eligibility requirement of one year of work experience within the last 10 years was designed to be inclusive for those with family caregiving responsibilities. This will not change under the proposed package of amendments. Second, since care-giving responsibilities can reduce the potential for applicants to accumulate years of work experience, reducing the relative weight of work experience could benefit these applicants. Finally, commencing in 2010, CIC required applicants to demonstrate their official language proficiency by providing the result of a designated third-party language assessment. Previously, applicants had the option to provide other evidence in writing in lieu of taking an independent language test. Given the general gap in earnings between men and women, the cost of taking the mandatory test may disproportionately impact women. However, it is not expected to act as a barrier in most cases.

A preliminary comparative analysis was done on the first Ministerial Instructions (MI‑1), introduced in 2008, to determine the influence of MI‑1 on the gender balance in the Federal Skilled Worker Program. The analysis focused on the percentage of male and female principal applicants at the time of application and the percentage of these principal applicants who ultimately received a visa. Initial findings indicated a small but positive increase in both the percentage of applications submitted by female principal applicants and the number of visas eventually issued to women. With respect to visas issued, women received 28.7 percent of all visas issued in the federal skilled worker category in 2007, prior to MI‑1. Under MI‑1 from 2008 to 2010, however, 35.6 percent of federal skilled worker category visas were issued to women. It appears that the composition of the eligible occupation list in MI‑1 shaped the gender distribution of the population that is eligible to be processed as a federal skilled worker as well as the gender distribution of visas issued. These findings are considered preliminary as full data for the MI‑1 will not be available until all applications submitted under them are processed to a final decision.

Gender considerations are reflected in CIC information products for newcomers. For example, the equality between men and women in Canada is emphasized in the Department’s flagship publications and on the CIC website. In 2010, CIC completed work on the first version of the Settlement Information Renewal Exercise with the aim of substantially revising the settlement-related information provided to newcomers (in print, on-line and in person). This renewed information, which will inform updated settlement information products during 2011–2012, explains gender rights in Canada and addresses the topics of family violence, child abuse and neglect, marriage laws, sexual consent, and the age of majority, using language developed in consultation with Justice Canada.

Work is also continuing on the development of a child-minding policy to support parents interested in participating in CIC settlement services, many of whom are women. The idea for the child-minding support service came from parliamentary committee recommendations in the mid-1980s that called for improved access to language training for those who faced barriers accessing the program, such as women with caregiving responsibilities. As a result, the Department introduced child-minding and transportation supports on a pilot basis to address key barriers and enable increased program participation. The pilot was later regularized as a means of integrating adult newcomers who did not previously have access to language training. CIC’s current policy work in this area includes the piloting and eventual adoption of a more flexible menu of child-minding options that will increase the reach of this support service into other CIC-funded settlement program streams, while continuing to strive for maximum service efficiency and cost-effectiveness. GBA will continue to inform future developments in child-minding and other support services policies.

CIC continues to include GBA in the development of settlement programming for newcomers. For example, a GBA was conducted on the delivery of the Language Training Vouchers pilot project. The analysis compared the attitudes of female and male voucher and non-voucher clients in their access of Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada services. The analysis examined the uptake rates of language training vouchers between women and men, the impact of the vouchers on uptake of training by other members of the recipient’s household, and the gender differences between the uptake of Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada training. The GBA of the pilot results found that the gender balance of clients accessing language training changed. Voucher clients who redeemed their voucher at a language assessment centre were 51 percent female and 49 percent male; while non-voucher clients (regular clients not participating in the pilot) reflected the typical 62 percent female, 38 percent male ratio generally found in CIC language training courses. These findings will inform future policy work on language training.

An evaluation of the Resettlement Assistance Program and the Government-assisted Refugee Program was completed in March 2011. The Resettlement Assistance Program provides direct financial support and funds the provision of immediate and essential services to refugees and persons in refugee-like situations. The evaluation, which included a GBA, assessed the relevance, design and impact of the two programs over the 2005–2009 period.

During the evaluation period, slightly over half of the government-assisted refugees, 52 percent, were males and 48 percent were females. The evaluation found that, generally, the incidence of employment earnings among government-assisted refugees tends to increase with time in Canada. While men had higher employment earnings, the biggest gaps between men and women occurred during the first year in Canada, decreasing thereafter. Overall, the evaluation results found that the Resettlement Assistance Program remains relevant and services provided to government-assisted refugees remain necessary. Information from the evaluation, including the GBA, will be used to inform ongoing policy discussions and program initiatives designed to meet the needs of male and female government-assisted refugees. Key client-focused considerations, such as gender and diversity, will also be an integral part of the Resettlement Assistance Program and its performance measurement framework going forward.

Gender-based Research

CIC continues to gather sex-disaggregated data in support of its policy and program development. The Department’s key annual publication, Facts and Figures: Immigration Overview—Permanent and Temporary Residents, is a primary source of immigration statistics for the government, its partners and the private sector.

The Metropolis Project engages in knowledge transfer of research that employs GBA of policy issues related to immigration and diversity from academic affiliates across Canada. In 2010–2011, the Metropolis Project continued to support gender-based research by academic affiliates out of the five Metropolis Centres of Excellence, by way of research reports, publications, public seminars and conference plenary and workshop sessions, for example:

• Employment Standards Violations and Live-in Caregivers’ Characteristics in British Columbia (PDF, 3.9 MB);
• Social Integration of Immigrants and their Children in Canada’s Urban Neighbourhoods (PDF, 853 KB);
• Assessment for Intimate Partner Violence in the Perinatal Period: When, Where, and What Next? (PDF, 306 KB);
• Challenges and Opportunities for Educational Cultural Brokers in Facilitating the School Adaptation of Refugee Children (PDF, 529 KB); and
• Pre- and Post-Adoption Support Services in Canada: Implications for Policy Makers (PDF, 598 KB).

The 13th National Metropolis Conference in Vancouver in March 2011, which focused on the role of immigration in connecting Canada with the rest of the world, included the following workshops with gender and diversity themes:

• Strengthening Supports for At-Risk and Gang-Involved Immigrant Youth (PDF, 913 KB);
• All in the Family? Migration, Settlement and Integration (PDF, 1.8 MB);
• Problematizing Marriages of Convenience and Immigration: Research and Practice Perspectives (PDF, 232 KB);
• Stressors, Conflict and Violence in Immigrant Families: Sources and Solutions (PDF, 777 KB); and
• Immigrant Women at Work: Career Experience of Immigrant and Newcomer Women (PDF, 1017 KB).

Metropolis also hosted a Priority Seminar on Family, Children and Youth: “Immigrant Families: From Negotiation to Integration.” This policy research seminar explored key issues confronting immigrant families by way of high-profile panel discussions on family negotiations related to migration and integration, integration outcomes of immigrant youth, spousal sponsorship and migration challenges, conflict and violence in immigrant families, honour-based violence, immigrants as an aging population, and immigrant seniors’ needs.

The launch of the new GBA policy and accompanying tools in 2011 is expected to increase awareness, understanding and application of GBA, which will lead to better results for immigrant and visible minority women, men and their families.

Chart 4: Economic Class Principal Applicants by Sub-Category and Sex, 2001–2010

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Facts and Figures 2010

Text version: Chart 4: Economic Class Principal Applicants by Sub-Category and Sex, 2001–2010

<< Previous | Contents | Next >>