Emerging Policy Issues Jeffrey G. Reitz Ethnic, Immigration and Pluralism Studies Centre for...

Emerging Policy Issues

Jeffrey G. ReitzEthnic, Immigration and Pluralism Studies

Centre for International Studies

University of Toronto

November 13, 2006

Gaps Between Skilled Immigration and Canadian Labour Markets

Agenda

1. Evolution of Canadian Immigration• Evolution in relation to economic development

• Evolution in relation to educational investments

• Balance between general education and specific occupational skills

2. Current Challenges and Controversies• Under-utilization of immigrant skills, and ‘brain waste’

• Demand for temporary or less-skilled immigrants

• Illegal immigration

3. Policy Options• Toward more flexible immigration policy?

Permanent Immigrants to Canada, 1971-2005

1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

Immigration to Canada by Year of Landing

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Immigration Nations:Percent Foreign-born, 2005

0

5

10

15

20

25

Source: United Nations, International Migration 2006

Canadian and U.S. immigration: 1906-91

Source: Green (1995, p. 48)

Annually

as

% of pop.

Immigration Cities: Migrants as Percentage of Urban Populations, 2001

Source: Fellegi, 2004

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Toronto Miami Vancouver Sydney LosAngeles

New York Montreal

Shifts in immigrant origins, Canada


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Before1961

1960-1970

1971-1980

1981-1990

1991-2001

U.S.A.

Europe

Asia & Middle East

Africa

Caribbean, South andCentral America

Oceania & Other

Three Phases of Canadian Immigration History

• Agricultural Economy: – Immigration for Settlement of the West, 1850 – 1920

• Industrial Economy: – Immigration for Urban Construction and Manufacturing, 1900 – 1960

• Post-Industrial Economy: – Immigration for the Knowledge Economy, 1960 – present

Canada: Why so much immigration?

• Nation-building, need for larger population– Satellite status in North America

– Multicultural destiny?

• Economic development– New ‘consensus’ that immigration stimulates growth

• Low birth rate– Falling population after 2025 without immigration

Immigration and population growth, Canada


Canada: why so much immigration?




Canada: why so much immigration?




• Potential to manage– Due to geographic isolation

Elements of Immigration Management

• Emphasis on skill selectivity after 1960 reforms– Points system, continuous upgrades

– High proportions of ‘economic migrants’

Immigrants to Canada, 1980-2005by admission category

(green is skill-selected)

1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

Other or not classified Economic

Refugees Family Class

Immigration to Canada by Year of Landing


Points system – as of September 22, 2003

1. Education 5-25 H.S. PhD

2. Official language knowledge 0-24 English, French

3. Work experience 15-21 1-4 years

4. Age 10 21-49 years

5. Arranged Employment 0-10 HRSDC confirmed

6. ‘Adaptability’ 0-10 ** Spouse education, Canadian education or experience, family contacts

Pass Mark: 67 out of maximum 100


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/skilled/qual-5.html

Example

1. Education 20 BA

2. Official language knowledge 16 Fluent in English

3. Work experience 17 2 years

4. Age 10 21-49 years

5. Arranged Employment 0 No job

6. ‘Adaptability’ 5 Spouse with BA

68

Pass (by one point)




– Increased potential for integration

• Integration policy– Settlement services, language training

– Fees

– Separate Quebec selection system

– Multiculturalism

Canadian opinion on immigration levels

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Increase Current Decrease Don't know

Source: Gallup Canada, Inc.

“If it were your job to plan an immigration policy for Canada at this time, would you be inclined to increase immigration, decrease immigration, or keep the number of immigrants at about the current level?”

Current Challenges

1. Labour market problems of skilled immigrants• Declining employment and earnings• Skill under-utilization, ‘brain waste’

2. Demand for temporary or less skilled immigrants• E.g. Alberta oil industry

3. Illegal immigrants• Construction industry• 200,000?

4. Other problems:1. Racial tensions

2. Border security, terrorism

3. Urban concentration of immigrants, desire for immigration elsewhere

Earnings trends for immigrant men

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

0.1

0.2

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

Rel

ativ

e ea

rnin

gs, l

ogge

d

0-5 years

6-10 years

11-15 years

16-20 years

Source: Frenette and Morissette, Statistics Canada, 2003

Some reasons offered for decline

• Reasons specific to time periods– Business cycle effects (recessions of early 1980s, early 1990s)

– Origins shift (1960 – 1980)

• Reasons related to broader labour market changes– Adverse conditions for all new labor market entrants

– Increased emphasis on credentials

– Less value of foreign experience

Promoting Immigrant Skill Utilization

1. professional licensing access

2. bridge training programs

3. credential assessment services

4. workplace internships and mentoring

5. diversity training

6. information websites

7. public awareness

8. recognition of employer best practices

More Temporary Migration?

• Employer-driven, less skilled: short-term v. long-term potential for integration

• Enforcement: ensuring temporary status

Illegal Migration

• Growing problem, unknown size

• Pressure to create temporary migration

• U.S. experience

• Threat to immigration program

Directions to Fill Gaps

• Employer-driven immigration

• Government-private partnerships

• Community involvement

Emerging Policy Issues Jeffrey G. Reitz Ethnic, Immigration and Pluralism Studies Centre for...

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