Introduction
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Immigrants have contributed to Canada's economy and society ever since the country came into being. Recent population projections show that immigration will continue to be a major contributor to future demographic growth. Starting in 2031, more than 80% of this growth is projected to come from immigration, compared to about 67% currently. 1 However, many source countries of immigrants to Canada will be facing similar trends of population aging, stemming from their own demographic transition. And more nations with older populations and falling birth rates will be competing with Canada for young, skilled and mobile workers. 2
In this context, not only is it worthwhile to monitor immigrants' labour market outcomes, but also to look at the impact of the recent downturn on some of these outcomes. For the purposes of this examination, this analysis focuses on the rates of employment and unemployment, with references to the gap between immigrants and the Canadian born—a gap that has been widely documented. 3 , 4 , 5 , 6
Using data from the Labour Force Survey, this report examines the labour market situation of immigrants during the 2008-to-2011 period. As was done in previous reports, the analysis will focus on core-aged immigrants and conclude with an overview of the labour market trends among their younger and older counterparts.
Core-aged persons are those aged 25 to 54. Individuals in this age group are most likely to have finished their schooling and to have not yet retired from the workforce (see Data source, concepts and definitions). Labour market outcomes for core-aged people are examined by province, industry, educational attainment, socio-demographic characteristics, and country or region of birth. In general, two key labour market indicators are used in the analysis: the rate of employment (or employment-to-population ratio) and the unemployment rate. A brief analysis of immigrants' wages is included in the section on immigrants' labour market outcomes by educational attainment.
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