Recent Immigrants in Metropolitan Areas: Toronto—A Comparative Profile Based on the 2001 Census

Part D: Participation in the Economy

Participation in the labour market

Labour force participation lower the more recent the arrival

Very recent immigrants are not as active in the labour market as the Canadian-born. The difference in labour force participation between very recent immigrants and the Canadian-born is eighteen percentage points for women and six percentage points for men. Labour force participation of immigrants who have been in Canada for a longer period of time is rather more like that of the Canadian-born, with immigrant men showing higher rates of participation and women showing lower rates of participation than their Canadian-born counterparts. A pattern of adjustment and increasing involvement of immigrants in the Canadian labour market with longer stay is evident in all three age groups, for both men and women. Immigrant women have a larger gap to bridge than immigrant men. Earlier immigrants in the 45-64 age group do not quite reach the level of participation of the Canadian-born. Young persons who immigrated before 1986 are more active in the labour market than the Canadian-born of the same age. This last group is very small, however, accounting for only a small percentage of earlier immigrants.

**Table D-1: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—labour force 15 to 64 years of age—age and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (number)**
	15 to 24 years	25 to 44 years	45 to 64 years	Total
Women
Canadian-born	133,400	331,240	154,130	618,770
Immigrants	52,130	301,780	218,570	572,480
Immigrated before 1986	6,450	104,610	154,660	265,710
Immigrated 1986-1995	30,090	128,440	49,590	208,110
Immigrated 1996-2001	15,600	68,730	14,340	98,660
Men
Canadian-born	134,130	360,750	167,280	662,150
Immigrants	54,010	318,930	261,490	634,420
Immigrated before 1986	6,490	105,840	179,730	292,060
Immigrated 1986-1995	31,960	132,950	59,250	224,150
Immigrated 1996-2001	15,560	80,140	22,510	118,210
Total
Canadian-born	267,520	691,990	321,410	1,280,920
Immigrants	106,140	620,710	480,050	1,206,890
Immigrated before 1986	12,940	210,450	334,380	557,770
Immigrated 1986-1995	62,040	261,390	108,840	432,260
Immigrated 1996-2001	31,160	148,870	36,850	216,870

Note: Tables D-1 to D-14 describe labour force participation, employment and unemployment in the week before the 2001 Census, May 6-12, 2001. A person is in the labour force if he/she is employed or unemployed (actively looking for work).

**Table D-2: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 to 64 years of age—labour force participation rates, by age and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001**
	15 to 24 years	25 to 44 years	45 to 64 years	Total
Women
Canadian-born	68%	85%	73%	78%	618,770
Immigrants	54%	77%	65%	69%	572,480
Immigrated before 1986	73%	84%	67%	73%	265,710
Immigrated 1986-1995	56%	77%	64%	70%	208,110
Immigrated 1996-2001	47%	67%	50%	60%	98,660
Men
Canadian-born	66%	93%	85%	84%	662,150
Immigrants	55%	91%	83%	83%	634,420
Immigrated before 1986	70%	92%	83%	86%	292,060
Immigrated 1986-1995	56%	91%	84%	82%	224,150
Immigrated 1996-2001	50%	88%	77%	78%	118,210
Total
Canadian-born	67%	89%	79%	81%	1,280,920
Immigrants	55%	83%	73%	76%	1,206,890
Immigrated before 1986	71%	88%	75%	79%	557,770
Immigrated 1986-1995	56%	84%	73%	76%	432,260
Immigrated 1996-2001	48%	77%	63%	68%	216,870

Labour force participation was higher for most cohorts in the 2001 Census than in the 1996 Census. The young and old age cohorts showed greater gains than the middle age cohorts. Participation increased most among very recent immigrants: by five percentage points for very recent immigrant women, compared to two percentage points for other female cohorts, and seven percentage points for very recent immigrant men, compared to one percentage point for other male cohorts.

Figure D-1: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 to 64 years of age—labour force participation rates, by age and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001

Note: Figures D-1 and D-2 describe labour force participation, employment and unemployment in the week before the 2001 Census, May 6-12, 2001. A person is in the labour force if he/she is employed or unemployed, (actively looking for work).

Pattern of adjustment similar for most levels of education

Generally speaking, the higher the level of education, the greater the proportion of people who participate in the labour market. This observation holds for the Canadian-born as well as for all three cohorts of immigrants, with one exception: men who immigrated after 1985 and who at the time of the 2001 Census had only attended elementary school had a higher participation rate than those with some high school.

**Table D-3: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born— labour force 15 to 64 years of age—level of education and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (number)**
	Less than grade 9	Some high school	High school diploma	College or trade diploma	University degree	Total
Women
Canadian-born	3,830	91,580	167,410	177,110	178,840	618,770
Immigrants	35,910	81,100	135,120	173,150	147,210	572,480
Immigrated before 1986	21,160	36,530	61,590	87,590	58,860	265,710
Immigrated 1986-1995	10,720	31,820	53,590	63,490	48,510	208,110
Immigrated 1996-2001	4,020	12,770	19,940	22,080	39,850	98,660
Men
Canadian-born	7,210	120,370	174,970	181,680	177,940	662,150
Immigrants	41,420	96,270	131,230	179,590	185,930	634,420
Immigrated before 1986	25,040	42,870	54,970	96,920	72,260	292,060
Immigrated 1986-1995	12,690	38,430	56,370	60,760	55,890	224,150
Immigrated 1996-2001	3,680	14,960	19,900	21,920	57,770	118,210
Total
Canadian-born	11,050	211,950	342,370	358,790	356,770	1,280,920
Immigrants	77,320	177,370	266,340	352,740	333,130	1,206,890
Immigrated before 1986	46,200	79,390	116,550	184,490	131,110	557,770
Immigrated 1986-1995	23,410	70,250	109,970	124,260	104,410	432,260
Immigrated 1996-2001	7,700	27,730	39,840	43,990	97,610	216,870

**Table D-4: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 to 64 years of age—labour force participation rates by level of education and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001**
	Less than grade 9	Some high school	High school diploma	College or trade diploma	University degree	Total
Women
Canadian-born	37%	58%	79%	85%	87%	78%
Immigrants	43%	56%	69%	79%	80%	69%
Immigrated before 1986	43%	64%	75%	81%	85%	73%
Immigrated 1986-1995	46%	54%	68%	82%	82%	70%
Immigrated 1996-2001	37%	44%	55%	68%	70%	60%
Men
Canadian-born	55%	67%	85%	93%	92%	84%
Immigrants	72%	70%	81%	89%	89%	83%
Immigrated before 1986	70%	81%	87%	89%	91%	86%
Immigrated 1986-1995	79%	66%	80%	91%	90%	82%
Immigrated 1996-2001	65%	56%	71%	86%	87%	78%
Total
Canadian-born	48%	63%	82%	88%	89%	81%
Immigrants	55%	63%	74%	84%	85%	76%
Immigrated before 1986	54%	73%	80%	85%	88%	79%
Immigrated 1986-1995	59%	60%	74%	86%	86%	76%
Immigrated 1996-2001	47%	50%	62%	76%	79%	68%

As well, immigrants with little schooling, even very recent immigrants, are equally or more active in the labour market than the Canadian-born with low education. But at all other education levels there is a standard pattern of relatively low participation rates for very recently landed immigrants and convergence to the rates of the Canadian-born with longer stay.

Participation rates have increased for some cohorts since the 1996 Census, by one to three percentage points for most education levels and immigrant cohorts. The increases for very recent immigrants, by education level, are not as high as the gains by age group mentioned earlier.

Figure D-2: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 to 64 years of age—labour force participation rates, by level of education and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001

Knowledge of English important for labour force participation

Most immigrants report that they have knowledge of either English or French when they immigrate to Canada. As reported at the time of the 2001 Census, the large majority of both men and women who immigrated during the 1990s and settled in Toronto have knowledge of English. Those who do not report having knowledge of English are not nearly as active in the labour market as those who do. The gap in labour force participation between those who speak English and those who do not speak English is larger among earlier immigrants than among recent immigrants and also larger among women than among men.

**Table D-5: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born, labour force 15 to 64 years of age—knowledge of English and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (number)**
	Population	Labour force
	No English	No English	English	Total
Women
Canadian-born	-	-	618,530	618,770
Immigrants	50,140	20,180	552,290	572,480
Immigrated before 1986	13,170	4,890	260,830	265,710
Immigrated 1986-1995	20,120	8,690	199,410	208,110
Immigrated 1996-2001	16,880	6,590	92,080	98,660
Men
Canadian-born	-	-	661,800	662,150
Immigrants	28,390	19,070	615,350	634,420
Immigrated before 1986	7,670	4,850	287,210	292,060
Immigrated 1986-1995	12,090	8,930	215,230	224,150
Immigrated 1996-2001	8,620	5,300	112,900	118,210
Total
Canadian-born	-	-	1,280,320	1,280,920
Immigrants	78,520	39,240	1,167,660	1,206,890
Immigrated before 1986	20,800	9,730	548,050	557,770
Immigrated 1986-1995	32,220	17,610	414,640	432,260
Immigrated 1996-2001	25,490	11,890	204,980	216,870

**Table D-6: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 to 64 years of age—labour force participation rates by knowledge of English and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001**
	Population share	Labour force participation rate
	No English	No English	English	Total
Women
Canadian-born	-	-	78%	78%
Immigrants	6%	40%	71%	69%
Immigrated before 1986	4%	37%	74%	73%
Immigrated 1986-1995	7%	43%	72%	70%
Immigrated 1996-2001	10%	39%	62%	60%
Men
Canadian-born	-	-	84%	84%
Immigrants	4%	67%	83%	83%
Immigrated before 1986	2%	63%	86%	86%
Immigrated 1986-1995	4%	74%	82%	82%
Immigrated 1996-2001	6%	61%	79%	78%
Total
Canadian-born	-	-	81%	81%
Immigrants	5%	50%	77%	76%
Immigrated before 1986	3%	47%	80%	79%
Immigrated 1986-1995	6%	55%	77%	76%
Immigrated 1996-2001	8%	47%	70%	68%

Unemployment not uncommon during initial years

Immigrants who are in their initial years in Canada are more likely to experience unemployment than those who have been in the country for a longer period of time. For instance, very recently immigrated men in Toronto experienced unemployment rates from 9% to 14%, depending on their age group, and very recent immigrant women experienced rates of 14% to 16%, also depending on their age group. Unemployment is significantly lower among persons who immigrated before 1996, except for among the youngest age group, but it is still higher than for the Canadian-born.

**Table D-7: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—unemployed 15 to 64 years of age—age and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (number)**
	15 to 24 years	25 to 44 years	45 to 64 years	Total
Women
Canadian-born	13,970	13,570	4,540	32,070
Immigrants	7,580	25,350	11,310	44,230
Immigrated before 1986	800	5,320	6,030	12,150
Immigrated 1986-1995	4,230	9,490	3,240	16,950
Immigrated 1996-2001	2,540	10,540	2,050	15,120
Men
Canadian-born	15,800	12,330	4,730	32,850
Immigrants	7,360	18,220	11,490	37,070
Immigrated before 1986	820	4,180	6,160	11,150
Immigrated 1986-1995	4,330	6,480	2,940	13,750
Immigrated 1996-2001	2,220	7,570	2,390	12,180
Total
Canadian-born	29,760	25,900	9,260	64,910
Immigrants	14,940	43,560	22,810	81,300
Immigrated before 1986	1,620	9,480	12,190	23,290
Immigrated 1986-1995	8,570	15,970	6,170	30,700
Immigrated 1996-2001	4,750	18,110	4,440	27,300

**Table D-8: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 to 64 years of age—unemployment rates, by age and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001**
	15 to 24 years	25 to 44 years	45 to 64 years	Total
Women
Canadian-born	10%	4%	3%	5%	100%
Immigrants	15%	8%	5%	8%	100%
Immigrated before 1986	12%	5%	4%	5%	100%
Immigrated 1986-1995	14%	7%	7%	8%	100%
Immigrated 1996-2001	16%	15%	14%	15%	100%
Men
Canadian-born	12%	3%	3%	5%	100%
Immigrants	14%	6%	4%	6%	100%
Immigrated before 1986	13%	4%	3%	4%	100%
Immigrated 1986-1995	14%	5%	5%	6%	100%
Immigrated 1996-2001	14%	9%	11%	10%	100%
Total
Canadian-born	11%	4%	3%	5%	100%
Immigrants	14%	7%	5%	7%	100%
Immigrated before 1986	13%	5%	4%	4%	100%
Immigrated 1986-1995	14%	6%	6%	7%	100%
Immigrated 1996-2001	15%	12%	12%	13%	100%

The unemployment rate for all age and gender cohorts shown in Table D-8 was lower in 2001 than in 1996. The decline was greater for the young and for very recent immigrants (five to ten percentage points) than for other cohorts (one to six percentage points).

The pattern just displayed, of unemployment rates that vary inversely with length of stay in Canada, occurs at all levels of education. For instance, men who immigrated after 1995 and who have a high school diploma have an unemployment rate of 10%. The rate drops to 7% for immigrants who landed between 1986 and 1995.

**Table D-9: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born, unemployed, 15 to 64 years of age—level of education and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (number)**
	Less than grade 9	Some high school	High school diploma	College or trade diploma	University degree	Total
Women
Canadian-born	330	7,060	10,550	7,660	6,480	32,070
Immigrants	2,730	7,270	11,370	11,230	11,650	44,230
Immigrated before 1986	1,170	1,980	3,040	3,790	2,190	12,150
Immigrated 1986-1995	880	3,460	5,300	4,340	2,990	16,950
Immigrated 1996-2001	670	1,850	3,030	3,100	6,470	15,120
Men
Canadian-born	570	9,600	10,700	6,320	5,660	32,850
Immigrants	1,890	6,720	8,660	8,320	11,480	37,070
Immigrated before 1986	870	1,980	2,470	3,570	2,280	11,150
Immigrated 1986-1995	720	3,060	4,170	2,980	2,840	13,750
Immigrated 1996-2001	310	1,700	2,030	1,790	6,380	12,180
Total
Canadian-born	900	16,670	21,240	13,980	12,140	64,910
Immigrants	4,610	13,990	20,030	19,550	23,130	81,300
Immigrated before 1986	2,020	3,930	5,500	7,350	4,470	23,290
Immigrated 1986-1995	1,590	6,520	9,470	7,310	5,840	30,700
Immigrated 1996-2001	980	3,540	5,060	4,880	12,840	27,300

Recent immigrant women experience more unemployment than recent immigrant men, irrespective of their education level. The gap between recent immigrants and the Canadian-born is also larger for women than for men at any level of education.

**Table D-10: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 to 64 years of age—unemployment rates, by level of education and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001**
	Less than grade 9	Some high school	High school diploma	College or trade diploma	University degree	Total
Women
Canadian-born	9%	8%	6%	4%	4%	5%
Immigrants	8%	9%	8%	6%	8%	8%
Immigrated before 1986	6%	5%	5%	4%	4%	5%
Immigrated 1986-1995	8%	11%	10%	7%	6%	8%
Immigrated 1996-2001	17%	14%	15%	14%	16%	15%
Men
Canadian-born	8%	8%	6%	3%	3%	5%
Immigrants	5%	7%	7%	5%	6%	6%
Immigrated before 1986	3%	5%	4%	4%	3%	4%
Immigrated 1986-1995	6%	8%	7%	5%	5%	6%
Immigrated 1996-2001	8%	11%	10%	8%	11%	10%
Total
Canadian-born	8%	8%	6%	4%	3%	5%
Immigrants	6%	8%	8%	6%	7%	7%
Immigrated before 1986	4%	5%	5%	4%	3%	4%
Immigrated 1986-1995	7%	9%	9%	6%	6%	7%
Immigrated 1996-2001	13%	13%	13%	11%	13%	13%

All education levels and gender groups had a lower unemployment rate in 2001 than in 1996. The unemployment rate declined more for the recent and very recent immigrant cohort than for earlier immigrant cohorts and the Canadian-born. The improvement was greater the lower the level of education.

Recent immigrants who do not speak English are more likely to be unemployed than those who speak English. The difference in unemployment rates between those who speak English and those who do not varies from zero to four percentage points, depending on gender and period of immigration. It occurs among earlier immigrants as well as among recent immigrants. These are not large differences compared to the effect of language on participation rates examined above.

**Table D-11: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—unemployed 15 to 64 years of age—knowledge of English and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001**
	Labour Force	Unemployment rate
	No English	No English	English	Total
Women
Canadian-born	-	-	32,050	32,070
Immigrants	20,180	2,350	41,890	44,230
Immigrated before 1986	4,890	420	11,750	12,150
Immigrated 1986-1995	8,690	760	16,200	16,950
Immigrated 1996-2001	6,590	1,180	13,940	15,120
Men
Canadian-born	-	-	32,840	32,850
Immigrants	19,070	1,520	35,550	37,070
Immigrated before 1986	4,850	270	10,860	11,150
Immigrated 1986-1995	8,930	560	13,190	13,750
Immigrated 1996-2001	5,300	680	11,500	12,180
Total
Canadian-born	-	-	64,880	64,910
Immigrants	39,240	3,870	77,430	81,300
Immigrated before 1986	9,730	690	22,630	23,290
Immigrated 1986-1995	17,610	1,310	29,410	30,700
Immigrated 1996-2001	11,890	1,870	25,420	27,300

**Table D-12: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 to 64 years of age—unemployment rates, by knowledge of English and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001**
	Share of labour force	Unemployment rate
	No English	No English	English	Total
Women
Canadian-born	-	-	5%	5%
Immigrants	4%	12%	8%	8%
Immigrated before 1986	2%	8%	5%	5%
Immigrated 1986-1995	4%	9%	8%	8%
Immigrated 1996-2001	7%	18%	15%	15%
Men
Canadian-born	-	-	5%	5%
Immigrants	3%	8%	6%	6%
Immigrated before 1986	2%	5%	4%	4%
Immigrated 1986-1995	4%	6%	6%	6%
Immigrated 1996-2001	4%	13%	10%	10%
Total
Canadian-born	-	-	5%	5%
Immigrants	3%	10%	7%	7%
Immigrated before 1986	2%	7%	4%	4%
Immigrated 1986-1995	4%	7%	7%	7%
Immigrated 1996-2001	5%	16%	12%	13%

Share of men and women with jobs increases with length of stay

One in two very recently immigrated women aged 15 to 64 are employed, compared to three in four Canadian-born women. For men, the difference is smaller: seven in ten very recent immigrants are employed compared to eight in ten Canadian-born men. As shown in the previous pages, these differences in employment rates mainly reflect differences in labour force participation rates.

Among immigrants who landed before 1986, employment is more common than among the more recently landed. For men and women aged 25 to 44 and 45 to 64 years, the employment rate of immigrants who landed before 1986 is one to seven percentage points lower than the employment rate of the Canadian-born. The overall employment rates show a smaller gap, and this is due to the differences in age distribution (many earlier immigrants are 45 to 64 years old, and few are under 25).

In 2001, employment was higher among all cohorts than in 1996. The changes were greater for the younger and older cohorts than for those at prime working age. Immigrants experienced a greater change than the Canadian-born experienced, and the more recent the arrival of the immigrant cohort, the greater the gain.

**Table D-13: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—employed 15 to 64 years of age—age and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001**
	15 to 24 years	25 to 44 years	45 to 64 years	Total
Women
Canadian-born	119,430	317,680	149,600	586,710
Immigrants	44,550	276,440	207,260	528,240
Immigrated before 1986	5,650	99,300	148,620	253,570
Immigrated 1986-1995	25,860	118,960	46,350	191,160
Immigrated 1996-2001	13,060	58,190	12,290	83,540
Men
Canadian-born	118,330	348,410	162,560	629,300
Immigrants	46,640	300,720	250,000	597,350
Immigrated before 1986	5,680	101,680	173,570	280,920
Immigrated 1986-1995	27,620	126,480	56,320	210,410
Immigrated 1996-2001	13,350	72,570	20,120	106,040
Total
Canadian-born	237,770	666,090	312,150	1,216,010
Immigrants	91,200	577,150	457,250	1,125,600
Immigrated before 1986	11,320	200,970	322,190	534,470
Immigrated 1986-1995	53,480	245,430	102,670	401,570
Immigrated 1996-2001	26,410	130,760	32,410	189,570

**Table D-14: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 to 64 years of age—employment rates, by age and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001**
	15 to 24 years	25 to 44 years	45 to 64 years	Total
Women
Canadian-born	61%	82%	71%	74%	586,710
Immigrants	46%	70%	61%	64%	528,240
Immigrated before 1986	64%	80%	64%	69%	253,570
Immigrated 1986-1995	48%	71%	60%	64%	191,160
Immigrated 1996-2001	39%	57%	43%	51%	83,540
Men
Canadian-born	58%	90%	83%	80%	629,300
Immigrants	48%	86%	79%	78%	597,350
Immigrated before 1986	61%	89%	80%	83%	280,920
Immigrated 1986-1995	48%	87%	80%	77%	210,410
Immigrated 1996-2001	43%	79%	69%	70%	106,040
Total
Canadian-born	59%	86%	77%	77%	1,216,010
Immigrants	47%	77%	70%	71%	1,125,600
Immigrated before 1986	62%	84%	72%	76%	534,470
Immigrated 1986-1995	48%	79%	69%	70%	401,570
Immigrated 1996-2001	41%	67%	56%	60%	189,570

The jobs of recent immigrants

Part-time jobs more common for very recent immigrants aged 25 to 64

The proportion of employed persons who work part-time varies considerably by age and gender, both for immigrants and the Canadian-born. Half or more of employed young adults work part-time. Fifteen to 25% of employed women aged 25 to 64, varying by cohort, work part-time, while for men the share is 5% to 11%, again varying by cohort.

**Table D-15: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 to 64 years of age, employed mostly part-time—age and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2000 (number)**
	15 to 24 years	25 to 44 years	45 to 64 years	Total
Women
Canadian-born	89,430	60,390	34,360	184,170
Immigrants	30,630	48,250	42,390	121,270
Immigrated before 1986	3,490	15,990	30,130	49,610
Immigrated 1986-1995	19,890	22,090	9,430	51,400
Immigrated 1996-1999	7,260	10,180	2,840	20,270
Men
Canadian-born	79,110	19,980	11,450	110,530
Immigrants	28,700	17,320	16,720	62,740
Immigrated before 1986	3,240	5,380	10,550	19,160
Immigrated 1986-1995	18,470	7,980	4,160	30,600
Immigrated 1996-1999	7,000	3,970	2,020	12,980
Total
Canadian-born	168,530	80,380	45,800	294,700
Immigrants	59,350	65,570	59,120	184,040
Immigrated before 1986	6,740	21,370	40,690	68,790
Immigrated 1986-1995	38,360	30,070	13,590	82,010
Immigrated 1996-1999	14,260	14,140	4,850	33,250

Note: Tables D-15 and D-16 do not include immigrants who landed in 2000 or 2001. Only persons who landed before 2000 are included among immigrants and very recent immigrants. Part-time employment is defined as having worked less than 30 hours per week during most of the weeks worked in the year 2000.

**Table D-16: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—15 to 64 years of age—percentage of employed working mostly part-time, by age and gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2000**
	15 to 24 years	25 to 44 years	45 to 64 years	Total
Women
Canadian-born	61%	18%	21%	28%
Immigrants	59%	17%	19%	22%
Immigrated before 1986	52%	15%	19%	18%
Immigrated 1986-1995	61%	17%	19%	24%
Immigrated 1996-1999	57%	20%	25%	27%
Men
Canadian-born	53%	5%	7%	16%
Immigrants	52%	6%	6%	10%
Immigrated before 1986	45%	5%	6%	6%
Immigrated 1986-1995	53%	6%	7%	13%
Immigrated 1996-1999	53%	7%	11%	15%
Total
Canadian-born	57%	11%	14%	22%
Immigrants	55%	11%	12%	16%
Immigrated before 1986	48%	10%	12%	12%
Immigrated 1986-1995	57%	11%	12%	19%
Immigrated 1996-1999	55%	13%	16%	20%

Part-time employment is more common for very recent immigrants of either gender and aged 25 to 44 or 45 to 64 than for other population groups, but this is not so for those aged 15 to 24.

The share of jobs that was part-time was lower in 2001 than in 1996 for the 25-44 and 45-64 age groups. The changes were generally in the order of one to two percentage points, and up to four percentage points for the very recent immigrant cohort. Young very recent immigrants saw an increase in part-time employment.

Many recent immigrants in sales and services and processing occupations

Employed immigrants are more likely than their Canadian-born counterparts to work in sales and service jobs and processing jobs. More than one in three employed recent immigrants are employed in sales and service jobs or processing jobs, compared to two in ten Canadian-born persons. The differences between recent immigrants and the Canadian-born are greater for women than for men. By contrast, management and social occupations, which are favoured by the Canadian-born, account for a smaller share of the jobs of earlier and recent immigrants.

Table D-17: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—employed 25 to 64 years of age—occupation groups, by gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (number and percentage distribution)
	Sales and services	Pro- cessing	Admin- istrative	Manage- ment and social sciences	Trades, transport	Health, science	Total
Women
Canadian-born	73,060	12,480	161,960	160,640	8,470	50,680	467,280
Immigrants	105,820	60,620	147,070	95,450	12,430	62,300	483,690
Immigrated before 1986	48,630	23,590	82,680	56,960	5,860	30,220	247,910
Immigrated 1986-1995	39,420	26,000	47,050	27,330	4,500	20,990	165,300
Immigrated 1996-2001	17,790	11,030	17,330	11,170	2,070	11,100	70,480
Men
Canadian-born	76,330	32,070	72,060	165,070	97,510	67,940	510,970
Immigrants	83,870	72,170	63,030	114,120	127,040	90,510	550,710
Immigrated before 1986	40,590	28,690	31,360	68,350	67,120	39,130	275,240
Immigrated 1986-1995	29,030	28,800	20,810	31,590	44,670	27,910	182,790
Immigrated 1996-2001	14,270	14,690	10,860	14,160	15,260	23,480	92,700
Total
Canadian-born	149,390	44,550	234,020	325,700	105,980	118,620	978,240
Immigrants	189,690	132,800	210,100	209,560	139,460	152,790	1,034,400
Immigrated before 1986	89,200	52,290	114,040	125,330	72,980	69,330	523,150
Immigrated 1986-1995	68,430	54,800	67,860	58,920	49,160	48,900	348,100
Immigrated 1996-2001	32,050	25,720	28,200	25,320	17,320	34,570	163,170

Women
Canadian-born	16%	3%	35%	34%	2%	11%	100%
Immigrants	22%	13%	30%	20%	3%	13%	100%
Immigrated before 1986	20%	10%	33%	23%	2%	12%	100%
Immigrated 1986-1995	24%	16%	28%	17%	3%	13%	100%
Immigrated 1996-2001	25%	16%	25%	16%	3%	16%	100%
Men
Canadian-born	15%	6%	14%	32%	19%	13%	100%
Immigrants	15%	13%	11%	21%	23%	16%	100%
Immigrated before 1986	15%	10%	11%	25%	24%	14%	100%
Immigrated 1986-1995	16%	16%	11%	17%	24%	15%	100%
Immigrated 1996-2001	15%	16%	12%	15%	16%	25%	100%
Total
Canadian-born	15%	5%	24%	33%	11%	12%	100%
Immigrants	18%	13%	20%	20%	13%	15%	100%
Immigrated before 1986	17%	10%	22%	24%	14%	13%	100%
Immigrated 1986-1995	20%	16%	19%	17%	14%	14%	100%
Immigrated 1996-2001	20%	16%	17%	16%	11%	21%	100%

Note: Job characteristics presented in Tables D-17 to D-20 relate to jobs held at the time of the census or the job of longest duration from January 2000 to May 15, 2001. The information pertains to persons 25 to 64 years of age. Younger people are not included here since many of them are still in school, and their jobs tend to be short-term and part-time and less likely to be related to their education and career choices than the jobs of older adults. Occupation groups are defined in the Glossary.

The distribution of occupations of very recent immigrants is quite similar to that of earlier cohorts, with two exceptions: a higher proportion of very recent immigrants than earlier immigrants work in health and science fields, especially among male immigrants, and a lower proportion of very recent immigrants than earlier immigrants work in trades and transport occupations. This is something specific to the latest cohort, as five years earlier the share of jobs in health occupations was quite similar across all cohorts.

Figure D-3: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—employed 25 to 64 years of age—occupation groups, by gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (percentage distribution)

Note: Job characteristics presented in Figures D-3 to D-6 relate to jobs held at the time of the census or the job of longest duration from January 2000 to May 15, 2001. The information pertains to persons 25 to 64 years of age. Younger people are not included here since many of them are still in school, and their jobs tend to be short-term and part-time and less likely to be related to their education and career choices than the jobs of older adults. Occupation groups are defined in the Glossary.

Many recent immigrants in manufacturing, few in the public sector

In Toronto, relative to the Canadian-born, a large proportion of employed recent immigrants aged 25 to 64 work in manufacturing industries and, for women, in hospitality and other services industries. By contrast, the construction and transportation industries and the public sector account for a smaller share of jobs of recent immigrants than of the Canadian-born. Compared to 1996, employment in business services industries among the very recent immigrant cohort is more prevalent, and employment in hospitality and other services industries is less prevalent.

Figure D-4: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—employed 25 to 64 years of age—industry sector, by gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (percentage distribution)

Table D-18: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—employed 25 to 64 years of age—industry sector, by gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (number and percentage distribution)
	Manu- facturing	Con- struction and Trans- portation	Trade	Business services	Public sector	Hospi- tality and other services	Total
Women
Canadian-born	47,210	35,930	69,260	120,830	145,400	48,660	467,280
Immigrants	85,830	25,700	73,690	110,490	119,260	68,730	483,690
Immigrated before 1986	37,680	15,090	36,370	57,980	70,650	30,140	247,910
Immigrated 1986-1995	33,690	7,640	25,630	35,460	36,070	26,800	165,290
Immigrated 1996-2001	14,410	2,980	11,680	17,090	12,530	11,780	70,480
Men
Canadian-born	85,840	101,510	87,950	125,240	64,010	46,410	510,960
Immigrants	140,630	103,660	88,330	113,620	46,240	58,230	550,720
Immigrated before 1986	63,930	57,240	43,730	53,550	29,510	27,260	275,230
Immigrated 1986-1995	51,190	34,060	29,990	34,340	11,840	21,380	182,790
Immigrated 1996-2001	25,490	12,380	14,610	25,740	4,900	9,590	92,690
Total
Canadian-born	133,050	137,430	157,210	246,090	209,410	95,070	978,240
Immigrants	226,460	129,370	162,020	224,120	165,510	126,960	1,034,400
Immigrated before 1986	101,630	72,310	80,120	111,500	100,150	57,400	523,160
Immigrated 1986-1995	84,890	41,670	55,620	69,790	47,920	48,190	348,090
Immigrated 1996-2001	39,900	15,360	26,280	42,810	17,430	21,380	163,170

Women
Canadian-born	10%	8%	15%	26%	31%	10%	100%
Immigrants	18%	5%	15%	23%	25%	14%	100%
Immigrated before 1986	15%	6%	15%	23%	28%	12%	100%
Immigrated 1986-1995	20%	5%	16%	21%	22%	16%	100%
Immigrated 1996-2001	20%	4%	17%	24%	18%	17%	100%
Men
Canadian-born	17%	20%	17%	25%	13%	9%	100%
Immigrants	26%	19%	16%	21%	8%	11%	100%
Immigrated before 1986	23%	21%	16%	19%	11%	10%	100%
Immigrated 1986-1995	28%	19%	16%	19%	6%	12%	100%
Immigrated 1996-2001	28%	13%	16%	28%	5%	10%	100%
Total
Canadian-born	14%	14%	16%	25%	21%	10%	100%
Immigrants	22%	13%	16%	22%	16%	12%	100%
Immigrated before 1986	19%	14%	15%	21%	19%	11%	100%
Immigrated 1986-1995	24%	12%	16%	20%	14%	14%	100%
Immigrated 1996-2001	24%	9%	16%	26%	11%	13%	100%

Skill requirements of jobs of recent immigrants lower

The jobs of recent immigrants require lower skills than the jobs of the Canadian-born. Two in five jobs of Canadian-born women require the highest level of skill: a university education. For women who landed after 1995, only one in four jobs requires a university education. There is a larger gap for women than for men between recent immigrants and the Canadian-born in the skill requirements of their jobs.

Table D-19: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—employed 25 to 64 years of age—skill requirements of jobs, by gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (number and percentage distribution)
	No formal education	High school plus job training	College or trade apprenticeship	University	Total
Women
Canadian-born	19,920	133,360	127,390	186,600	467,270
Immigrants	55,780	184,100	112,550	131,280	483,690
Immigrated before 1986	22,080	87,400	63,840	74,610	247,920
Immigrated 1986-1995	23,330	68,270	35,280	38,410	165,310
Immigrated 1996-2001	10,360	28,430	13,430	18,260	70,480
Men
Canadian-born	29,870	118,540	144,760	217,810	510,970
Immigrants	50,790	157,070	160,160	182,700	550,720
Immigrated before 1986	21,600	69,090	86,710	97,850	275,240
Immigrated 1986-1995	18,910	60,280	51,670	51,940	182,790
Immigrated 1996-2001	10,300	27,700	21,780	32,920	92,690
Total
Canadian-born	49,790	251,900	272,150	404,410	978,240
Immigrants	106,570	341,160	272,700	313,980	1,034,400
Immigrated before 1986	43,670	156,490	150,560	172,460	523,150
Immigrated 1986-1995	42,240	128,540	86,940	90,350	348,090
Immigrated 1996-2001	20,660	56,130	35,210	51,180	163,170

Women
Canadian-born	4%	29%	27%	40%	100%
Immigrants	12%	38%	23%	27%	100%
Immigrated before 1986	9%	35%	26%	30%	100%
Immigrated 1986-1995	14%	41%	21%	23%	100%
Immigrated 1996-2001	15%	40%	19%	26%	100%
Men
Canadian-born	6%	23%	28%	43%	100%
Immigrants	9%	29%	29%	33%	100%
Immigrated before 1986	8%	25%	32%	36%	100%
Immigrated 1986-1995	10%	33%	28%	28%	100%
Immigrated 1996-2001	11%	30%	23%	36%	100%
Total
Canadian-born	5%	26%	28%	41%	100%
Immigrants	10%	33%	26%	30%	100%
Immigrated before 1986	8%	30%	29%	33%	100%
Immigrated 1986-1995	12%	37%	25%	26%	100%
Immigrated 1996-2001	13%	34%	22%	31%	100%

For both men and women, the skill content of jobs of immigrants who landed before 1986 is closer to that of the Canadian-born. However, the middle group of immigrants, who landed between 1986 and 1995, does not fit this pattern. Their jobs on average require less skill than the jobs of very recent immigrants.

The information presented in Table D-19 does not directly indicate whether the skills of recent immigrants are fully or less than fully employed in the economy. To determine this, one has to compare the skill levels of jobs of employed recent immigrants with the level of education of employed recent immigrants. This is done in Table D-20 for persons holding a university degree.

Figure D-5: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—employed 25 to 64 years of age—skill requirements of jobs, by gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (percentage distribution)

Education of recent immigrants not fully utilized

The jobs of recent immigrants with a university degree do not require the same level of skill as the jobs of Canadian-born persons with a university degree. Seven in ten employed Canadian-born women with a university degree have a job requiring a university degree. But only four in ten employed women with university degrees who immigrated after 1995 have a job that requires a university degree. Among persons with a university degree, three-quarters of Canadian-born men but only one-half of very recent immigrant men have a job requiring a university education.

Table D-20: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—employed university graduates, 25 to 64 years of age—skill requirements of jobs, by gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001 (number and percentage distribution)
	No formal education	High school plus job training	College or trade apprenticeship	University	Total
Women
Canadian-born	1,260	18,870	27,670	110,250	158,030
Immigrants	5,580	29,930	26,320	68,600	130,430
Immigrated before 1986	900	9,020	11,040	34,540	55,510
Immigrated 1986-1995	2,040	10,970	9,140	20,590	42,750
Immigrated 1996-2001	2,650	9,920	6,150	13,470	32,180
Men
Canadian-born	1,840	14,060	24,050	123,680	163,620
Immigrants	6,950	26,770	31,110	105,990	170,810
Immigrated before 1986	1,180	6,790	11,340	49,900	69,180
Immigrated 1986-1995	2,110	9,260	9,860	29,890	51,130
Immigrated 1996-2001	3,650	10,730	9,910	26,200	50,500
Total
Canadian-born	3,090	32,920	51,710	233,930	321,650
Immigrants	12,530	56,690	57,430	174,580	301,240
Immigrated before 1986	2,080	15,810	22,380	84,430	124,690
Immigrated 1986-1995	4,150	20,240	19,000	50,490	93,880
Immigrated 1996-2001	6,310	20,650	16,060	39,660	82,680

Women
Canadian-born	1%	12%	18%	70%	100%
Immigrants	4%	23%	20%	53%	100%
Immigrated before 1986	2%	16%	20%	62%	100%
Immigrated 1986-1995	5%	26%	21%	48%	100%
Immigrated 1996-2001	8%	31%	19%	42%	100%
Men
Canadian-born	1%	9%	15%	76%	100%
Immigrants	4%	16%	18%	62%	100%
Immigrated before 1986	2%	10%	16%	72%	100%
Immigrated 1986-1995	4%	18%	19%	58%	100%
Immigrated 1996-2001	7%	21%	20%	52%	100%
Total
Canadian-born	1%	10%	16%	73%	100%
Immigrants	4%	19%	19%	58%	100%
Immigrated before 1986	2%	13%	18%	68%	100%
Immigrated 1986-1995	4%	22%	20%	54%	100%
Immigrated 1996-2001	8%	25%	19%	48%	100%

The skill requirements of jobs of university graduates were higher in 2001 than in 1996, and there was a general shift from jobs requiring only a high school education to jobs requiring a university education. For Canadian-born men and women, the shift was four percentage points; immigrants who had been in the country more than 15 years or from 5 to 15 years experienced a smaller change of approximately two points. For the very recent immigrant cohort, the shift from jobs requiring high school to jobs requiring university was five percentage points for men and eight percentage points for women.

Figure D-6: Immigrants by period of immigration and Canadian-born—25 to 64 years of age—percentage of employed university graduates, with job requiring university education, by gender, Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 2001

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