News Release

Second wave of the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada

OTTAWA, October 13, 2005 — The Honourable Joe Volpe, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, today welcomed Statistics Canada’s release of the results of the second wave of the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC). The survey studies how recent immigrants integrate and settle into Canadian society over time.

“This survey is a major investment for the Government of Canada,” said Minister Volpe. “It’s the first time we’ve interviewed thousands of immigrants face to face, at two different points in time, to learn about their early settlement experiences. This process is part of our commitment to identifying the best strategies to assist newcomers.”

The LSIC is a three-part survey. In September 2003, Statistics Canada released the first survey results, focusing on the settlement experience of some 12,000 immigrants six months after arrival. Today’s release looks at the results of interviews with over 9,000 of the same immigrants two years after arrival, with a focus on their labour market experiences. The third wave, currently under way, will interview the same immigrants four years into their settlement experience.

“It’s clear that today’s labour market is very different from that of the 1970s or 1980s,” said Minister Volpe. “Monitoring immigrants’ experiences in the labour market ensures sustained economic and social integration of Canada’s newcomers.”

“Immigration is an important priority for the Government of Canada. We value the vital role that immigrants play in this country and welcome this opportunity to learn more about their early settlement experiences.”

The survey results are available on Statistics Canada’s website at www.statcan.ca.

Visit CIC’s website at www.cic.gc.ca for the latest research and statistical information on citizenship and immigration trends.

For more information, contact:

Stephen Heckbert
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
(613) 954-1064

Cara Prest
Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
(613) 941-7021