The Rise in Low-income Rates Among Immigrants in Canada

Articles and reports: 11F0019M2003198

Description: This study uses census data to focus on low-income among immigrants, and asks a number of questions: (1) have low-income rates increased among successive cohorts of entering immigrants, both in absolute terms and relative to the Canadian born (they have), (2) is this increase due to changes in their characteristics (e.g. education, age, source country, language etc.), (3) do low-income rates fall as new immigrants acquire Canadian experience, and are there signs that low-income rates fall faster among the more recent entering cohorts with the higher entry level rates, resulting in some "catch-up", and (4) in the major Canadian cities, to what extent was the deterioration in the city level low-income rates during the 1990s concentrated among immigrants? The analysis covers the period from 1980 to 2000, and focuses on change between 1980 to 1990, and 1990 to 2000, years that are roughly at business cycle peaks.

Basically, low-income rates have been falling over the past two decades among the Canadian born, and rising among immigrants. A discussion of the possible determinants of the trends mentioned above is included in the literature review and the conclusion.

no: 198

Issue Number: 2003198

Frequency: Occasional

Author(s): Hou, Feng; Picot, Garnett

Main Product: Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series

Format	Release date	More information
PDF	June 19, 2003

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Reference

Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: Life Cycle Bias in the Estimation of Intergenerational Earnings Persistence

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Date modified:: 2026-02-13

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