Canada's Immigration Selection System and Labour Market Outcomes

Earnings and employment differences across categories of the immigrant selection system are explored with links to the points system. Additionally, alternative approaches to analysis are discussed with respect to their relevance for different policy questions. Appreciable outcome gaps across immigrant categories are observed, but with important differences in interpretation following from alternative approaches to specifying the sample and methodology for analysis. As expected, members of the economic class have superior earnings in the long run; however, employment in other immigration classes is sometimes comparable or higher. Notably, privately sponsored refugees have relatively good outcomes, particularly in the short run.