Study: The earnings advantage of landed immigrants who were previously temporary residents in Canada, 1982 to 2011

Released: 2015-10-23

Immigrants who had skilled work experience in Canada before becoming permanent residents had a large initial earnings advantage over economic immigrants who were selected for permanent residency directly from abroad.

A new study examines the earnings of economic immigrants who initially arrived in Canada as temporary residents on a work permit and compares them with the earnings of economic immigrants who were directly selected as permanent residents from abroad.

Among male economic immigrants who became permanent residents between 1990 and 2006, those with pre-landing Canadian skilled work experience earned almost twice more in the first full year after landing than male economic immigrants who were selected for permanent residency directly from abroad. The earnings advantage of immigrants with prior Canadian skilled work experience narrowed over subsequent years, but was still evident 10 years after landing.

A similar pattern was observed among female economic immigrants. In the first full year after landing, those with prior Canadian skilled work experience earned, on average, almost one-and-a-half times more than female economic immigrants without prior Canadian skilled work experience. A decade after landing, the earnings of female immigrants with prior Canadian skilled work experience were more than 40% higher than those of female immigrants without such pre-landing experience.

In contrast, economic immigrants who had non-skilled work experience in Canada prior to becoming permanent residents had similar earnings in the first full year after landing as economic immigrants without any prior Canadian experience. Furthermore, immigrants with non-skilled work experience had lower earnings growth over subsequent years and, 10 years after landing, earned significantly less than immigrants without any prior Canadian experience.

Products

The research paper "The Earnings Advantage of Landed Immigrants Who Were Previously Temporary Residents in Canada," part of the Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series (Catalogue number11F0019M), is now available from the Browse by key resource module of our website under Publications.

Contact information

For more information, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca).

To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Aneta Bonikowska (613-864-0571; aneta.bonikowska@canada.ca), Social Analysis and Modelling Division.