Study states that Canadian work experience and education can increase immigrant earning potential

Immigrants have flocked to Canada over the last few decades in the hope of securing a better future for themselves. As a country, Canada has been able to improve its immigration policies allowing newcomers to integrate into their society and become a part of the culture. According to a recent study conducted by Statistics Canada, immigrants who are able to secure permanent residence in Canada after gaining professional experience or studying in the country for a degree, have an increased income off the bat when they join a new workforce.

This should serve as further motivation for international students who are considering whether to study in Canada. Having previous work experience in Canada can create a big difference in the entry-level wages that are received by new immigrants, as reported in the study by Statistics Canada.

The report took into account the results for permanent residents who gained admission to Canada in the year 2016. The residents who had been able to show that they had prior work experience in Canada got the highest median entry wages. The new permanent residents who had completed their education from a Canadian educational institution and also worked in Canada received a median entry wage of $39,800 after a year of their arrival. On the other hand, those who only had a work permit could only gain a median income of $38,100 initially.

Statistics Canada reports that these wages can be compared to those earned by the entire Canadian population. They found that the median entry wage for the entire 2016 cohort came to $25,900 in 2017. According to the study, that was the highest value to be recorded among immigrants since the year 1981. However, this outcome turned out to be much lesser than the median wage of the Canadian population, which was $36,100 in 2017.