Does occupational status matter? Examining immigrants' employment in their intended occupations

Abstract

Research examining the economic integration of immigrants to Canada primarily focuses on earnings differentials between the native-born and foreign-born populations. Although some studies examine occupational matching among immigrants, broad levels of occupational classification are employed. This paper has two objectives: (1) to examine occupational matching for the immigrant population at a precise level of classification and (2) to broaden the focus of immigrant employment research by considering whether characteristics of their intended occupations influence the likelihood of an occupational match. Results indicate that immigrants seeking high-status occupations are significantly less likely to obtain a match than those seeking low-status occupations.