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February 25, 2002
Despite gains, poverty rate among recent immigrants
still double that of other Canadians
Ottawa – The Canadian Council on Social Development (CCSD) today released a report showing that, despite significant gains in family incomes during the economic recovery of the late 1990s, recent immigrants to Canada still experience a poverty rate double the rate of other Canadian families. In 1998, the poverty rate for recent immigrants was 27%, down from 37% in 1995 but still double the 13% rate for other Canadian families. Does a Rising Tide Lift All Boats? Labour Market Experiences and Incomes of Recent Immigrants, by Ekuwa Smith, Director of the CCSD’s Cultural Diversity Program, and Andrew Jackson, Research Director at the CCSD, uses the latest available statistics to describe the significant challenges that continue to face recent immigrants to Canada.
The report points out several worrisome gaps. For example, the annual wages and salaries of recent immigrants are one-third less than those of other Canadians, even after catching up somewhat on the rising tide of economic recovery over the second half of the 1990s. On the positive side, the report confirms that a healthy labour market can provide a major impetus towards equality and the inclusion of recent immigrants into the economic and social mainstream.
"Immigration is expected to account for virtually all of the growth in the Canadian labour force by the year 2011," said Ekuwa Smith. "Our future prosperity – as well as social justice – demands that we begin to address the needs of immigrants and their families."
The report notes that a wide range of policies could speed up the process of integrating immigrants and addressing sources of disadvantage. These include policies on employment equity, recognition and promotion of the "hidden skills" of new immigrants to prospective employers, provision of language and skills training to new immigrants, and expedited recognition of foreign credentials.
"It is also important that in a Canada where three of every four recent immigrants now belongs to a visible minority group, we must recognize the impact of racial discrimination on employment, income and poverty," said Ms. Smith. "The successful inclusion of recent immigrants into the Canadian labour market and Canadian society will not be achieved by simply leaving matters to market forces."
Using the latest available data from Statistics Canada’s Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics, Does a Rising Tide Lift All Boats? Labour Market Experiences and Incomes of Recent Immigrants focuses on levels of employment, earnings, family incomes and poverty rates of recent immigrants compared to those of the rest of the Canadian population over the economic recovery period from 1995 to 1998.
Does a Rising Tide Lift All Boats? - Related Material
Canadian Council on Social Development,
190 O'Connor Street, Suite 100,
Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2R3
Tel: (613) 236-8977, Fax: (613) 236-2750, Web: www.ccsd.ca, Email: council@ccsd.ca
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