New Immigrants' Assessments of Their Life in Canada

Statistics Canada Analytical Branch Studies Working Paper No. 322

33 Pages Posted: 11 May 2012

Date Written: February 1, 2010

Abstract

In this paper, the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC) is used to examine how immigrants in the 2000-2001 landing cohort subjectively assess their life in Canada. The paper provides a useful complement to other studies of immigrant outcomes that often focus on employment, income or health. Four years after landing, about three-quarters of LSIC respondents said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their life in Canada, and a comparable proportion said their expectations of life in Canada had been met or exceeded. Nearly 9 out of 10 said that, if given the chance, they would make the same decision again to come to Canada. A broad range of demographic, social and economic characteristics are associated with subjective assessments. Positive assessments of life in Canada are less prevalent among individuals in their thirties and forties, and university graduates and principal applicants in the skilled worker admission category, than they are among other groups. While assessments of life in Canada are correlated with economic factors such as personal income, they are also correlated with social factors such as relationships with neighbours and perceptions of discrimination.

Keywords: demographic characteristics, emotional well-being, employment, health, immigrants, lifestyle, personal income, socioeconomic profiles

JEL Classification: J6, J2

Suggested Citation

Houle, René and Schellenberg, Grant, New Immigrants' Assessments of Their Life in Canada (February 1, 2010). Statistics Canada Analytical Branch Studies Working Paper No. 322, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2039119 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2039119

René Houle

Statistics Canada ( email )

Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
613-951-3732 (Phone)
613-951-0387 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.statcan.gc.ca

Grant Schellenberg (Contact Author)

Statistics Canada ( email )

Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
613-951-9580 (Phone)
613-951-5403 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/socialanalysis

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