The median income of immigrants without Canadian experience is lower than that of those who worked and studied in Canada, a Statistics Canada study reveals.
Immigrant wages have been trending up in recent years, according to a new Statistics Canada study.
Immigrants who became permanent residents in 2018 had a median wage of $31,900 reported in 2019, which is the highest among all groups of immigrants who came to Canada since 1981. It was also about 4% higher than what 2017 immigrants made in 2018. However, it was still nearly 18% lower than the median wage of Canadian-born workers at $38,800 in 2019.
These findings come from Statistics Canada’s recent study on the wages of immigrants. The study extrapolated data from the Longitudinal Immigration Database, which provides information for researchers to study the characteristics of Canadian immigrants at time of admission, as well as their economic outcomes and regional mobility. It is the first in a two-part series about immigrant outcomes. The second part discusses immigrant mobility.
When looking at just the principal applicants of economic-class immigration programs, the median wages were higher than the Canadian-born population in 2019. These immigrants who landed in 2018 had a median salary of $43,600 one year later, which is more than 12% higher than the Canadian median wage in the same year ($38,800).
The reason for this, may have to do with how economic-class immigrants are selected.
“Principal applicants in the economic categories are selected for their ability to integrate into the Canadian labour market and to contribute to the economy,” the report says. “Most have post-secondary education and knowledge of at least one official language.”
Source: CIC News
