Push Me, Pull Me: Family

1
Push Me, Pull Me Family Friends or Paid
Employment?

• Immigration and Out migration
• Atlantic Canada at a Crossroads
• World Trade and Convention Centre
• Halifax, Nova Scotia
• Martha Justus, Strategic Research Statistics
  Citizenship and Immigration Canada
• November 19, 2004

2
Most immigrants live in Canadas 3 major cities
(MTV)

• 90 of immigrants who arrived during the 1990s
  live in a metropolitan area
• For Canadians this share is less than 65
• 70 of newcomers are concentrated in Montreal,
  Toronto and Vancouver
• The trend towards immigrant settlement in MTV has
  been growing 66 of 1980s arrivals, 58 of
  1970s newcomers.

3
New arrivals continue to choose MTV

• 76 of 2003 inflow destined to MTV
• A further 22 bound for other large urban centres
• Only 2 destined outside a CMA

4
Why Do Immigrants Settle in M, T or V?
5
1 - Family and friends

• Based on the results of the Longitudinal Survey
  of Immigrants to Canada, the most important
  factor in an immigrants initial decision of
  where to live in Canada is the presence of family
  and friends

6
Especially for family class

• More than 90 of the family class chose their
  destination due to presence of family/friends
• Most refugees settled where they had
  family/friends (sponsor) or did not choose place
  of residence (GARs)

7
But also true for economic migrants

• 44 of economic class PAs chose destination due
  to presence of family friends
• Other reasons for economic PAs
• Montreal (2) Language, (3) Job and education
  prospects
• Toronto (2) Job prospects (3) Lifestyle,
  housing, community
• Vancouver (2) Climate (3) Job prospects

8
Why settle outside MTV?

• Only when economic principal applicants are
  destined outside of MTV do employment
  opportunities figure in the top three reasons for
  choosing a location - even then it is a close
  second to family and friends (32 and 36
  respectively).

9
Constructing new social networks

• ¾ reported that at least ½ of new friends were
  co-ethnic
• 61 of refugees
• 73 of family
• 75 of skilled workers
• 78 of other economic

10
Can policy push or pull?

• No policy would redirect all immigrants away from
  large cities ? not a way to redistribute the
  entire immigrant population
• Focus on retention
• Economic prospects are relevant
• Social infrastructure matters
• Build on existing ethnic composition