Notice of release
Montréal, August 17, 2021 – The Institut de la statistique du Québec today released an analysis that compares the labour force participation and employment income of immigrant and non-immigrant women age 25 to 54 living in Québec. The analysis uses data from the 2006 and 2016 censuses.
Highlights
In 2016, the employment rate for immigrant women age 25 to 54 living in Québec was about 69% compared to 83% for non-immigrants.
- Significant differences between the two categories were noted for women age 25–34 and 35–44: employment rates for immigrant women were 64% and 69% respectively, compared to 83% and 86% for non-immigrant women.
- The gap widened for households with children. The difference was 19 percentage points for women with three or more children in the household, but decreased to 8 percentage points for women with no children.
- Between 2006 and 2016, the employment rate among immigrant women increased in all groups analyzed. However, the employment rate of non-immigrant women increased at the same time, and the gap between the two categories did not decline. Over this period, the employment rate of immigrant women age 25 to 54 increased by nearly 5 percentage points, a similar increase to that of non-immigrant women.
In 2015, the average employment income for immigrant women age 25 to 54 was about $37,000 compared to about $45,000 for non-immigrants, a difference of 17%.
- A more pronounced gap between the two categories was seen among women age 35 to 44 (23%) and those with only a high school diploma (22%).
- There was a 14% difference in average income between immigrant and non-immigrant women in households with one child, a 20% difference between those in households with two children and a 26% difference between those in households with three or more children. In the last case, employment income in 2015 was about $33,000 for immigrant women compared to about $44,000 for non-immigrant women.
- In 2015, immigrant women who had lived in Québec for 10 or more years had employment income of about $42,000, or 6% less than non-immigrants. In comparison, immigrant women who had lived in Québec for less than 5 years earned nearly 40% less.
- The employment income of immigrant women increased from 2005 to 2015, from $28,499 to $37,095. The income of non-immigrant women also increased, from $33,529 to $44,643. The relative difference in the average employment income of the two groups therefore did not narrow over the period.
Other characteristics were also analyzed in the publication, including field and level of education, knowledge of the official languages, where the highest level of education was obtained and visible minority status.
The Institut de la statistique du Québec produces, analyzes and disseminates official, objective and quality statistical information on various aspects of Québec society. It is responsible for conducting all statistical surveys of general interest. The relevance of its work makes it a strategic ally for decision makers and all those wishing to learn more about Québec.