An educational portrait of postsecondary educated immigrants, 2006 Census

Li Xue and Li Xu
September 2010

This study is the first part of a three part project using the 2006 Census micro data to examine interplaying associations between labour market outcomes and educational characteristics among postsecondary educated (PSE) immigrants.

The views and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Citizenship and Immigration Canada or the Government of Canada.

Acknowledgement:
The authors wish to acknowledge and thank Eden Crossman, Research and Evaluation Branch for her significant contribution to the final report.

Copies of the full report are available upon request to Research-Recherche@cic.gc.ca.

Drawing upon the newly available information captured in the 2006 Census, this study looks at statistical variations in country of highest educational attainment and field of study among postsecondary educated (PSE) immigrants. This paper examines the following research question: What is the picture of postsecondary degree holders in terms of field of study and place of the highest degree among various immigrant groups? The study is comprised of two main sections – first, a comparison of immigrant and Canadian-born demographic and educational profiles, and second, an examination of highest level of educational attainment, location and field of study of PSE immigrants. What follows are selected highlights from the results of this analysis.

Of the 4,076,705 immigrants enumerated in the 2006 Census between the ages of 25 and 64 years, 70% were established immigrants (those who had been in Canada for more than 10 years), 14% were recent immigrants (those who landed in Canada during 1996-2000), and 17% were very recent immigrants (those who landed in Canada after 2000).

Compared to the Canadian-born population, immigrants had a higher share of females and were older. While older individuals aged 55-64 were over represented among established immigrants, recent immigrants and very recent immigrants were much younger than the Canadian-born and established immigrants.

Overall, nearly two thirds of working-age (25-64 years) immigrants (65%) had a postsecondary diploma or degree, 6 percentage points higher than their Canadian-born counterparts. Immigrants were more likely than the Canadian-born to have a bachelor’s degree or university certificate or diploma above the bachelor level as their highest educational attainment. The concentration in higher education is more obvious for recent cohorts.

While the vast majority (98%) of the Canadian-born obtained their highest degree or diploma in Canada, nearly half of PSE immigrants also had a Canadian degree (47%). However, this proportion decreased significantly for recent arrivals.

The United States was one of the most popular countries of study for both immigrants and the Canadian-born.

About one in five PSE immigrants studied business, management, marketing and related support services (21%), comparable to the ratio among their Canadian-born counterparts (20%). Driven by recent and very recent immigrants, engineering followed as the second most popular field of study among immigrants (12%) – for the Canadian born, the rate was less than 3%. Computer and information sciences and support services was also favoured by immigrants as a field of study (5%), compared to 3% for the Canadian-born. In contrast, people who studied education were under represented among immigrants (5%), compared to 8% among the Canadian-born population.

Nearly half (48.7%) of PSE immigrants had a bachelor’s degree or university certificate or diploma above the bachelor level as their highest educational attainment. Younger age groups were more likely to have university degrees. The overall gender makeup of all PSE immigrants was balanced; however, male immigrants were overrepresented relative to females among the higher educational levels.

The percentages with university degrees were highest among immigrants from Pakistan, Russia, China and South Korea and lowest among those from Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, Poland and the Philippines. Educational attainment was much higher among recent and very recent cohorts compared to established immigrants.

Business, management, marketing and related support service was the top postsecondary field of study for immigrants from most main source countries. The postsecondary fields were more concentrated in natural and applied sciences including engineering and computer sciences among immigrants from the current leading source countries. For immigrants from Romania, Russia, China and Iran, engineering was the most common field of study. For immigrants from the Philippines, the percentage in the field of health professions and related sciences was double that of the average

More than half of PSE immigrants attained their highest level of education in their country of birth. A significant proportion of recent and very recent immigrants obtained their highest degree in the leading source countries, e.g. China, India, and the Philippines. The shifts in countries of highest educational attainment across immigrant cohorts reflect the compositional changes in source country during the last two decades. Sizable proportions of non-US born PSE immigrants received their highest level of education in the United States.

This paper takes advantage of the first available information on location of highest education in the 2006 Census to draw a detailed educational portrait of postsecondary educated (PSE) immigrants. This study is the first part of a three part project using the 2006 Census micro data to examine interplaying associations between labour market outcomes and educational characteristics among PSE immigrants. It is mainly descriptive. The second part of this project will explore employment and occupational outcomes by educational characteristics, the main focus being on the transferability of foreign degrees by field of study and country of highest post secondary degrees. A third investigation using multivariate analyses will separate out independent effects of country of study and field of study on occupational outcomes and earnings, controlling for other socio-demographic factors.

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Statistical portrait of English-speaking immigrants in Quebec

Lorna Jantzen in collaboration with Fernando Mata
February 2012

This report provides a statistical portrait of immigrants in Quebec whose First Official Language Spoken (FOLS) is English. The portrait applies 2006 Census data results to a comparison of the demographic and socio-economic outcomes of immigrants in the two English-speaking FOLS categories (English FOLS and English-French FOLS) with the French-speaking category (French FOLS) within the Province of Quebec and in Quebec Economic Regions (ERs).

The views and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect those of Citizenship and Immigration Canada or the Government of Canada. The authors would like to recognize the important contribution of Mike Musca (Canadian Heritage) who ran the detailed Census tables sourced in this paper. The authors take responsibility for the results produced in this paper and any mistakes are theirs alone.

This research was a collaboration between Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Canadian Heritage and was funded by the Quebec Regional Office, Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

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Statistical portrait of English-speaking immigrants in Quebec
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Figure 1: Number and percentage of immigrants in Quebec, 1991 to 2006 CensusesFigure 2: Number and percentage of Allophones (mother tongue) by immigrant status in Quebec, 1991-2006 Censuses, 20% sampleFigure 3: Percentage of the population by immigrant status showing MT and FOLS categories in Quebec, 2006 Census, 20% sampleFigure 4: Percentage of the population assigned to broad MT and FOLS categories showing immigrant status in Quebec, 2006 Census, 20% sampleFigure 5: Number and percentage of people assigned to English FOLS by immigrant status in Quebec, 1991 to 2006 Censuses, 20% samplesFigure 6: Number and percentage of people assigned to French FOLS by immigrant status in Quebec, 1991 to 2006 Censuses, 20% samplesFigure 7: Number and percentage of people assigned to English-French FOLS by immigrant status in Quebec, 1991 to 2006 Censuses, 20% samplesFigure 8: Percentage of immigrants by FOLS language categories in Quebec, 1991 to 2006 Censuses, 20% SampleFigure 9: Composition of Anglophone (FOLS) immigrants, Quebec, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 1: Number and percentage of the population that are immigrants across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 2: Distribution of immigrants assigned to English FOLS across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 3: Distribution of immigrants assigned to French FOLS across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 4: Distribution of immigrants assigned to English-French FOLS across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 5: Immigrants as a percentage of the English FOLS category across Quebec economic regions, 2006 census, 20% sampleMap 6: Immigrants as a percentage of the French FOLS category across Quebec economic regions, 2006 census, 20% sampleMap 7: Immigrants as a percentage of English-French FOLS category across Quebec economic regions, 2006 census, 20% sampleMap 8: Quebec immigrant population by FOLS category, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 9: Number and percentage of Allophone (mother tongue single response) immigrants assigned to English FOLS across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 10: Number and percentage of Allophone (mother tongue single response) immigrants assigned to French FOLS across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 11: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to English FOLS with knowledge of English and French (official language bilingualism) across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 12: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to French FOLS with knowledge of English and French (official language bilingualism) across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 13: Number and percentage of Allophone immigrants assigned to English FOLS showing language transfer across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 14: Number and percentage of Allophone immigrants assigned to French FOLS showing language transfer across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 15: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to English FOLS showing the official language spoken most often at work across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 16: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to French FOLS showing the official language spoken most often at work across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 17: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to English-French FOLS showing the official language spoken most often at work across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 18: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to English FOLS showing the economic regions they lived in five years ago, for the population five years and older, for Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 19: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to French FOLS showing the economic regions they lived in five years ago, for the population five years and older, across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 20: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to English-French FOLS showing the economic regions they lived in five years ago, for the population five years and older, across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 21: Average age of immigrants assigned to English FOLS in Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 22: Average age of immigrants assigned to French FOLS in Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 23: Average age of immigrants assigned to English-French FOLS across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 24: Percentage of male immigrants assigned to English FOLS across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 25: Percentage of male immigrants assigned to French FOLS across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 26: Percentage of male immigrants assigned to English-French FOLS across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 27: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to English FOLS living in census families across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 28: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to French FOLS living in census families across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 29: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to English-French FOLS living in census families across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 30: Percentage of immigrants assigned to English FOLS that are recent immigrants across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 31: Percentage of immigrants assigned to French FOLS that are recent immigrants across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 32: Percentage of immigrants assigned to English-French FOLS that are recent immigrants across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 33: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to English FOLS that are born in Europe across Quebec economic regions, 2006 census, 20% sampleMap 34: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to French FOLS that are born in Europe across Quebec economic regions, 2006 census, 20% sampleMap 35: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to English-French FOLS that are born in Europe across Quebec economic regions, 2006 census, 20% sampleMap 36: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to English FOLS showing visible minority status across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 37: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to French FOLS showing visible minority status across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 38: Number and percentage of immigrants assigned to English-French FOLS showing visible minority status across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 39: Percentage of immigrants assigned to English FOLS with a university degree or higher level of education across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 40: Percentage of immigrants assigned to French FOLS with a university degree or higher level of education across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 41: Percentage of immigrants assigned to English-French FOLS with a university degree or higher level of education across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 42: Labour force participation rates among immigrants assigned to English FOLS, who are 35 to 64 years of age, across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 43: Labour force participation rates among immigrants assigned to French FOLS, who are 35 to 64 years of age, across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 44: Labour force participation rates among immigrants assigned to English-French FOLS, who are 35 to 64 years of age, across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 45: Percentage of immigrants assigned to English FOLS in the work force, who are 35 to 64 years of age, showing those employed in professional-managerial related occupations across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 46: Percentage of immigrants assigned to French FOLS in the work force, who are 35 to 64 years of age, showing those employed in professional-managerial related occupations across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 47: Percentage of immigrants assigned to English-French FOLS in the work force, who are 35 to 64 years of age, showing those employed in professional-managerial related occupations across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 48: Median employment income of immigrants assigned to English FOLS, who are 35 to 64 years of age, across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 49: Median employment income of immigrants assigned to French FOLS, who are 35 to 64 years of age, across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleMap 50: Median employment income of immigrants assigned to English-French FOLS, who are 35 to 64 years of age, across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 1: Number and percentage of immigrants in Quebec, 1911 to 2006 Censuses, 20% sampleTable 2: Number and percentage of immigrants and Allophones in Quebec, 1991 to 2006 Censuses, 20% sampleTable 3: Anglophone*, Francophone* and Allophone* populations by immigrant status in Quebec, 1991 to 2006 Censuses, 20% sampleTable 4: Mother tongue versus First Official Language Spoken results for Quebec (QC), 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 5: FOLS categories by immigrant status for Quebec, 1991 to 2006 Censuses, 20% sampleTable 6: Composition of Anglophone (FOLS) immigrants in Quebec, 1991 to 2006 Censuses, 20% sampleTable 7: FOLS categories by immigrant status for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 CensusTable 8: Immigrants by FOLS categories in Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 9: Immigrants by FOLS categories showing persons reporting a single response non-official mother tongue (Allophone) for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 10: Immigrants by FOLS categories showing knowledge of English and French (official language bilingualism) for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 11: Allophone immigrants by FOLS categories showing language transfer for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 12: Working immigrants by FOLS categories showing language spoken most often at work* for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 13: Immigrants by FOLS categories showing economic regions they lived in five years ago, for the population five years and older, for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 14: Immigrants by FOLS categories showing average age and age distribution for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 15: Immigrants by FOLS categories showing gender, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 16: Immigrants in private households by FOLS categories showing census family status, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 17: Immigrants by FOLS categories showing period of immigration for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 18: Immigrants by FOLS categories showing place of birth for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 19: Immigrants by FOLS categories showing visible minority categories for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 20: Immigrants by FOLS categories showing highest level of schooling for the population 15 years and older, across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 21: Male immigrants by FOLS categories showing highest level of schooling for the population 15 years and older, for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% SampleTable 22: Female immigrants by FOLS categories showing highest level of schooling for the population 15 years and older, for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 23: Immigrants (arrived before 1991) by FOLS categories showing highest level of schooling for the population 15 years and older, across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 24: Immigrants (immigrated between 1991-2000) by FOLS categories showing the highest level of schooling for the population 15 years and older, across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 25: Immigrants (immigrated 2001-2006) by FOLS categories showing the highest level of schooling for the population 15 years and older, across Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 26: Immigrants 35 to 64 years of age by FOLS categories showing labour force activity statistics for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sample Table 27: Male immigrants 35 to 64 years of age by FOLS categories showing labour force activity statistics, for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 28: Female immigrants 35 to 64 years of age by FOLS categories showing labour force activity statistics for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 29: Immigrants (arrived before 1991)—35 to 64 years of age by FOLS categories, showing labour force activity statistics for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 30: Immigrants (immigrated between 1991-2000)—35 to 64 years of age by FOLS categories showing labour force activity statistics for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 31: Immigrants (immigrated between 2001-2006)—35 to 64 years of age by FOLS categories showing labour force activity for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 32: Immigrants 35 to 64 years of age by FOLS categories showing occupational categories (NOCS 2006) for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 33: Male immigrants 35 to 64 years of age by FOLS categories showing occupational categories (NOCS 2006) for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 34: Female immigrants 35 to 64 years of age by FOLS categories showing occupational categories (NOCS 2006) for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 35: Immigrants (arrived before 1991)—35 to 64 years of age by FOLS categories showing occupational categories (NOCS 2006) for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 36: Immigrants (immigrated between 1991-2000)—35 to 64 years of age by FOLS categories showing occupational categories (NOCS 2006) for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 37: Immigrants (immigrated between 2001-2006)—35 to 64 years of age by FOLS categories showing occupational categories (NOCS 2006) for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleTable 38: Median employment income in 2005 for immigrants between the ages of 35-64 years by gender, showing recent immigrant status, for Quebec and Quebec economic regions, 2006 Census, 20% sampleNext >>

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