Where do immigrant youth come from and where do they settle?

The majority of immigrant children and youth today come from regions other than Europe. Between 1996 and 1998, the majority of immigrants to Canada came from Asia and the Pacific region. Nearly half of the immigrant children and teens came from this area, as did more than half of the youth aged 20 to 24. One in five immigrant youth came from Africa and the Middle East. In 1998, among all immigrants, half came from the following countries or regions: the People’s Republic of China, India, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Taiwan, Iran, Republic of Korea, United States, and Russia.

Among all immigrant children and youth who arrived in 1998, five of 10 live in Ontario, two of 10 live in British Columbia, and more than one of 10 live in Quebec. Most of these young immigrants planned to stay in the Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal areas. Immigrants are attracted to these areas for two main reasons. First, following decades of immigration, many ethnic groups have established their social and economic networks in these cities. These networks provide a vital link for the newcomers with the local community. Second, there are more opportunities for work and recreation in these large cities. In return, these urban centres have become more culturally vibrant as a result of the influx of immigrants.

Most immigrant children and youth cannot speak English or French when they arrive

Given that most immigrants between 1996 and 1998 came from countries where the official language was neither English nor French, it is not surprising that more than half of recent immigrant children and youth were unable to speak either of Canada’s official languages when they arrived. Among all immigrants, those who were under the age of 15 were the least likely to understand either English or French when they arrived in Canada. More than two-thirds (71%) of those under age 15 spoke neither official language upon landing; less than one-quarter spoke English (24%), and four per cent spoke French. The proportion of immigrant children who understood French was higher among those living in Montreal than among those in Toronto or Vancouver. This may be due to the immigration policy in Quebec which encourages the entry of French-speaking immigrants. In Vancouver, 8 of 10 immigrant children under age 15 could not speak either official language when they arrived, compared to 7 of 10 young immigrants in Toronto.

Recent immigrants between the ages of 15 and 24 were more likely to know English when they arrived. This likelihood was even stronger if they came as principal applicants, rather than as dependants. Because English is part of the primary and secondary school curriculum in many countries, most of these young people had some language training prior to immigrating to Canada.

Figure 2: Official language ability by applicant status and age, 1998
Language Ability	Dependant (Under age 15) %	Principal (Under age 15) %	Dependant (Aged 15-19) %	Principal (Aged 15 to 19) %	Dependant (Aged 20 to 24) %	Principal (Aged 20 to 24) %
English	23.92	25.92	31.85	43.72	42.25	47.77
French	4.42	2.18	3.88	5.65	3.57	4.87
Both English & French	0.53	0.27	1.15	1.60	3.22	3.67
Neither	71.07	71.58	63.09	49.03	50.85	43.69
Not Stated	0.06	0.05	0.03	0.00	0.11	0.00
Total	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
Source: Prepared by the Canadian Council on Social Development using custom data from Citizenship and Immigration Canada, 1999

Immigrant children and youth are more likely to live in lower-income households

Immigrants who have been in Canada for less than a decade are more likely to live in lower-income families than are those who have been in Canada for 10 years or more. According to the 1996 National Population Health Survey, over one-third of immigrants who have been in Canada for less than 10 years report that their household income is under $20,000, compared to 16 per cent of those who have been in Canada for more than 10 years, and 17 per cent of people who are Canadian-born. Over half (56%) of Canadian-born children and youth live in households with incomes of $40,000 or more, while only 36 per cent of recent immigrant children and youth do so.

Other research has shown that it generally takes newcomers to Canada 10 years to become fully comfortable in their new country and for their income to reach the average level.⁴ Recent immigrants – especially those who have been in the country for five years or less – often experience a difficult adjustment period as they look for jobs and settle into a new culture, so it is not surprising that their incomes are lower than average.