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Understanding the Economic Integration of Immigrants: A Wage Decomposition of the Earnings Disparities between Native-Born Canadians and Recent Immigrant Cohorts

Author

Listed:
  • Kristyn Frank

    (Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Guelph, 6th floor Mackinnon Building, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • Kelli Phythian

    (Department of Sociology, University of Western Ontario, Room 5306 Social Science Centre, London, Ontario, N6A 5C2, Canada)

  • David Walters

    (Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Guelph, 6th floor Mackinnon Building, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • Paul Anisef

    (Department of Sociology, York University, 803 Research Tower, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, M3J 1P3, Canada)

Abstract

This study assesses whether characteristics relating to ethnic identity and social inclusion influence the earnings of recent immigrants in Canada. Past research has revealed that relevant predictors of immigrant earnings include structural and demographic characteristics, educational credentials and employment-related characteristics. However, due to the unavailability of situational and agency variables in existing surveys, past research has generally been unable to account for the impact of such characteristics on the economic integration of immigrants. Drawing on data from Statistics Canada's Ethnic Diversity Survey, this paper builds on previous research by identifying the relative extent to which sociodemographic, educational and ethnic identity characteristics explain earnings differences between immigrants of two recent cohorts and native-born Canadians. The results indicate that immigrants are disadvantaged in the labor market in terms of characteristics relating to sociodemographics and ethnic identity, but are advantaged in terms of human capital.

Suggested Citation

  • Kristyn Frank & Kelli Phythian & David Walters & Paul Anisef, 2013. "Understanding the Economic Integration of Immigrants: A Wage Decomposition of the Earnings Disparities between Native-Born Canadians and Recent Immigrant Cohorts," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 2(2), pages 1-22, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:2:y:2013:i:2:p:40-61:d:24851
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Yujiro Sano & Lisa Kaida & Liam Swiss, 2017. "Earnings of Immigrants in Traditional and Non-Traditional Destinations: A Case Study from Atlantic Canada," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 961-980, August.

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