Recent Immigrants in Metropolitan Areas: Québec—A Comparative Profile Based on the 2001 Census

Part D: Participation in the Economy

Participation in the labour market

Labour force participation lower the more recent the arrival

Very recent immigrants are generally not as active in the labour market as the Canadian-born. The difference in labour force participation between very recent immigrants and the Canadian-born is eight percentage points for women, and nine for men.

Labour force participation of immigrants who have been in Canada for a longer period of time is rather more like that of the Canadian-born. A pattern of adjustment to and increasing involvement of immigrants in the Canadian labour market with longer stay is evident in all three age groups, for both men and women.

Note: Tables D-1 to D-10 describe labour force participation, employment and unemployment in the week before the 2001 Census, May 6-12, 2001. A person is in the labour force if he/she is employed or unemployed (actively looking for work).

Note: Tables D-1 to D-10 describe labour force participation, employment and unemployment in the week before the 2001 Census, May 6-12, 2001. A person is in the labour force if he/she is employed or unemployed (actively looking for work).

Men aged 25 to 44 years who immigrated before 1986 and also those who immigrated during the 1986-1995 period have labour force participation rates similar to Canadian-born men in the same age group. The labour force participation rates for women aged 25 to 44 years who immigrated before 1986 and also those who immigrated during the 1986-1995 period are just slightly lower than those of Canadian-born women in this age group.

Labour force participation generally increased between 1996 and 2001 for the Canadian-born as well as for immigrants—including recent immigrants—of prime working age. Recent immigrant women in particular were more active in the labour market.

Figure D-1: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 to 64 years of age—labour force participation rates, by age and gender, Québec Census Metropolitan Area, 2001

Note: Figures D-1 and D-2 describe labour force participation, employment and unemployment in the week before the 2001 Census, May 6-12, 2001. A person is in the labour force if he/she is employed or unemployed (actively looking for work).

Pattern of adjustment similar for most levels of education

Generally speaking, the higher the level of education the greater the proportion of people who participate in the labour market. This observation holds for the Canadian-born as well as for all three cohorts of immigrants.

For most education levels there is a common pattern of relatively low participation rates for very recent immigrants, and convergence to the rates of the Canadian-born with longer stay. However, there are some exceptions to this pattern. For example, both men and women with a university degree who immigrated during the 1986-1995 period had higher labour force participation rates than earlier immigrants.

Women who immigrated in the 15 years before the census and who had a high school diploma or a post-secondary degree or diploma had labour force participation rates at a considerably higher rate in 2001 than their counterparts five years earlier in 1996.

Note: Tables D-1 to D-10 describe labour force participation, employment and unemployment in the week before the 2001 Census, May 6-12, 2001. A person is in the labour force if he/she is employed or unemployed (actively looking for work).

Note: Tables D-1 to D-10 describe labour force participation, employment and unemployment in the week before the 2001 Census, May 6-12, 2001. A person is in the labour force if he/she is employed or unemployed (actively looking for work).

Figure D-2: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 to 64 years of age—labour force participation rates, by level of education and gender, Québec Census Metropolitan Area, 2001

Note: Figures D-1 and D-2 describe labour force participation, employment and unemployment in the week before the 2001 Census, May 6-12, 2001. A person is in the labour force if he/she is employed or unemployed (actively looking for work).

Unemployment higher among recent immigrants

Recent immigrants are more likely to experience unemployment than those who have been in the country for a longer period of time. Also, unemployment rates were highest for the youngest age group. Recent immigrant men in the Québec CMA experienced unemployment rates of 22% for the youngest age group (15-24 years), 13% for those aged 25-44 years, and 11% for those aged 45-64 years. The unemployment rates for recent immigrant women aged 15-24 years, 25-44 years and 45-64 years were 28%, 14% and 17%, respectively. Unemployment is significantly lower among persons who immigrated before 1986 and more comparable to that of the Canadian-born. The unemployment rate declined since 1996 for all groups of immigrants and the Canadian-born.

Note: Tables D-1 to D-10 describe labour force participation, employment and unemployment in the week before the 2001 Census, May 6-12, 2001. A person is in the labour force if he/she is employed or unemployed (actively looking for work).

Note: Tables D-1 to D-10 describe labour force participation, employment and unemployment in the week before the 2001 Census, May 6-12, 2001. A person is in the labour force if he/she is employed or unemployed (actively looking for work).

Note: Tables D-1 to D-10 describe labour force participation, employment and unemployment in the week before the 2001 Census, May 6-12, 2001. A person is in the labour force if he/she is employed or unemployed (actively looking for work).

Note: Tables D-1 to D-10 describe labour force participation, employment and unemployment in the week before the 2001 Census, May 6-12, 2001. A person is in the labour force if he/she is employed or unemployed (actively looking for work).

Immigrants who have been in Canada for a longer period of time generally have lower unemployment rates than more recent immigrants with the same level of education. For instance, recent immigrant men with a high school diploma have an unemployment rate of 16%. The rate is 8% for earlier immigrants who landed before 1986. Immigrant women without a university degree experience more unemployment than men during the first fifteen years in Canada. The gap between recent immigrants and the Canadian-born is also larger for women than for men, with the exception of those with a university degree.

In 2001, the unemployment rate for recent immigrants was significantly lower than in 1996, regardless of their level of education.

Share of men and women with jobs increases with length of stay

One-half of very recent immigrant women aged 15 to 64 years are employed compared to two-thirds of Canadian-born women. For men the difference is larger—fifty-five percent of very recent immigrants are employed compared to three-quarters of Canadian-born men.

Note: Tables D-1 to D-10 describe labour force participation, employment and unemployment in the week before the 2001 Census, May 6-12, 2001. A person is in the labour force if he/she is employed or unemployed (actively looking for work).

Note: Tables D-1 to D-10 describe labour force participation, employment and unemployment in the week before the 2001 Census, May 6-12, 2001. A person is in the labour force if he/she is employed or unemployed (actively looking for work).

Among earlier immigrants who landed before 1986, employment is generally more common than among more recent immigrants. Immigrants 25 years of age and over who have lived in the country for 5 years or more have largely caught up to the Canadian-born, although women aged 25 to 44 have rates well below their Canadian-born counterparts regardless of when they immigrated.

In 2001, employment rates were significantly higher than in 1996 among all groups of women and most groups of men. Among very recent immigrant men aged 15 to 24 years and 45 to 64 years, employment rates were lower in 1996 by seven and five percentage points, respectively.

The jobs of recent immigrants

Part-time jobs more common for very recent immigrants

The proportion of employed immigrants who work part-time decreases as the length of stay in Canada increases. The proportion of employed persons who work mostly part-time varies considerably by age and gender. Women are approximately twice as likely as men to work part time, whether they are immigrants or Canadian-born.

Slightly more than one-half of employed Canadian-born young adults (15-24 years) work part-time in comparison to 68% of very recent immigrants in the same age group. Twenty percent to one-third of employed women aged 25 to 64 years (not including very recent immigrants aged 45-64) work part-time, while for men the shares range from 7% to 17%.

Note: Tables D-11 and D-12 do not include immigrants who landed in 2000 or 2001. Only persons who landed before 2000 are included among immigrants and very recent immigrants. Part-time employment is defined as having worked less than 30 hours per week during most of the weeks worked in the year 2000.

Note: Tables D-11 and D-12 do not include immigrants who landed in 2000 or 2001. Only persons who landed before 2000 are included among immigrants and very recent immigrants. Part-time employment is defined as having worked less than 30 hours per week during most of the weeks worked in the year 2000.

Many very recent immigrants in health and science occupations

Employed very recent immigrants who landed in Canada in the last five years are more likely than their Canadian-born counterparts to work in health and science occupations and in management and social occupations. Approximately 60% of employed very recent immigrants work in one of these occupations, compared to four in ten Canadian-born. However, immigrants who have been in the country 5 to 15 years are more likely to work in occupations in sales and services. Relatively few recent immigrants work in administrative occupations.

Earlier immigrants who have been in the country for more than 15 years are represented more in management and social occupations than all other immigrant cohorts. There are probably many factors that contribute to these patterns, including the selection of immigrants as well as their level of education and field of studies.

Note: Job characteristics presented in Tables D-13 to D-16 relate to jobs held at the time of the census or the job of longest duration from January 2000 to May 15, 2001. The information pertains to persons 25 to 64 years of age. Younger people are not included here since many of them are still in school, and their jobs tend to be short-term and part-time and less likely to be related to their education and career choices than the jobs of older adults. Occupation groups are defined in the Glossary.

Figure D-3: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—employed 25 to 64 years of age—occupation groups, by gender, Québec Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (percentage distribution)

Note: Job characteristics presented in Figures D-3 to D-6 relate to jobs held at the time of the census or the job of longest duration from January 2000 to May 15, 2001. The information pertains to persons 25 to 64 years of age. Younger people are not included here since many of them are still in school, and their jobs tend to be short-term and part-time and less likely to be related to their education and career choices than the jobs of older adults. Occupation groups are defined in the Glossary.

Many recent immigrants in business services and the public sector

In Québec, a large proportion of recent immigrants aged 25 to 64 work in business services and the public sector. Almost 40% of the Canadian-born and a slightly smaller proportion of recent immigrants are employed in the public sector. Recent immigrants are more heavily represented in business services and hospitality and other services than the Canadian-born. In 1996, more very recent immigrants worked in hospitality and other services and fewer in business services.

Note: Job characteristics presented in Tables D-13 to D-16 relate to jobs held at the time of the census or the job of longest duration from January 2000 to May 15, 2001. The information pertains to persons 25 to 64 years of age. Younger people are not included here since many of them are still in school, and their jobs tend to be short-term and part-time and less likely to be related to their education and career choices than the jobs of older adults. Occupation groups are defined in the Glossary.

Figure D-4: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—employed 25 to 64 years of age—industry sector, by gender, Québec Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (percentage distribution)

Note: Job characteristics presented in Figures D-3 to D-6 relate to jobs held at the time of the census or the job of longest duration from January 2000 to May 15, 2001. The information pertains to persons 25 to 64 years of age. Younger people are not included here since many of them are still in school, and their jobs tend to be short-term and part-time and less likely to be related to their education and career choices than the jobs of older adults. Occupation groups are defined in the Glossary.

Very recent immigrants work in higher skill jobs

A larger share of very recent immigrants—those who immigrated between 1996 and 2001—work in jobs that require a higher level of skills in comparison to the Canadian-born. One-third of Canadian-born men work in jobs that require a university education compared to 53% of very recent immigrant men and 49% of men who immigrated before 1986. In comparison, 43% of immigrant women who landed after 1995 are employed in jobs that require a university education compared to 31% of Canadian-born women. Ten percent of recent immigrants work in jobs that require no formal education compared to 8% of the Canadian-born.

Note: Job characteristics presented in Tables D-13 to D-16 relate to jobs held at the time of the census or the job of longest duration from January 2000 to May 15, 2001. The information pertains to persons 25 to 64 years of age. Younger people are not included here since many of them are still in school, and their jobs tend to be short-term and part-time and less likely to be related to their education and career choices than the jobs of older adults. Occupation groups are defined in the Glossary.

The information presented in Table D-15 does not directly indicate whether skills of recent immigrants are fully or less than fully employed in the economy. To determine this, one has to compare the skill levels required for the jobs of employed recent immigrants and the Canadian-born with their level of education. This is done in Table D-16 for persons holding a university degree.

Figure D-5: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—employed 25 to 64 years of age—skill requirements of jobs, by gender, Québec Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (percentage distribution)

Note: Job characteristics presented in Figures D-3 to D-6 relate to jobs held at the time of the census or the job of longest duration from January 2000 to May 15, 2001. The information pertains to persons 25 to 64 years of age. Younger people are not included here since many of them are still in school, and their jobs tend to be short-term and part-time and less likely to be related to their education and career choices than the jobs of older adults. Occupation groups are defined in the Glossary.

Jobs of university graduates similar in level of skill

Recent immigrants with a university degree are as likely or more likely to work in jobs that require a university education than the Canadian-born. Almost 70% of recent immigrant women with a university degree and nearly 85% of earlier immigrant women with a university degree work in a job requiring a university education compared to 73% of Canadian-born women with a university degree. More than 80% of recent immigrant men with a university degree have a job requiring a university education in comparison to almost 80% of Canadian-born men with a university degree. Eighty-five percent of earlier immigrant men with a university degree are employed in jobs requiring a university education.

Note: Job characteristics presented in Tables D-13 to D-16 relate to jobs held at the time of the census or the job of longest duration from January 2000 to May 15, 2001. The information pertains to persons 25 to 64 years of age. Younger people are not included here since many of them are still in school, and their jobs tend to be short-term and part-time and less likely to be related to their education and career choices than the jobs of older adults. Occupation groups are defined in the Glossary.

Figure D-6: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—25 to 64 years of age—percentage of employed university graduates with jobs requiring university education, by gender, Québec Census Metropolitan Area, 2001

Note: Job characteristics presented in Figures D-3 to D-6 relate to jobs held at the time of the census or the job of longest duration from January 2000 to May 15, 2001. The information pertains to persons 25 to 64 years of age. Younger people are not included here since many of them are still in school, and their jobs tend to be short-term and part-time and less likely to be related to their education and career choices than the jobs of older adults. Occupation groups are defined in the Glossary.

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