Forms of Capital in Immigrants’ Social and Economic Integration
Abstract
Immigrants’ social and economic integration in Canada are explored using the 2001 census, the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC) and the Longitudinal Immigration Database (IMDB). I analyze how immigrants’ ethnicity as well as education level relative to their ethnic group, affect their social tie formation with co-ethnic members. Visible minority groups are more likely to make co-ethnic ties than the white population groups. Additionally, those who have similar or lower levels of education than their group are likely to make intra-ethnic networks two years after arrival. Next, I examine the income trajectories of immigrants by taking into account the impact of education, bonding social ties, and working in an ethnic economy. Education is found to be advantageous. Also, bonding social ties with co-ethnic members are found to have a slightly negative effect, which diminishes over time. Lastly, working in an ethnic economy is detrimental to immigrants’ economic outcomes.