According to a new report from Statistics Canada, immigrants in the core working-age group (25–54 years old) are experiencing significantly stronger employment growth compared to Canadian-born workers. This marks a notable shift, as newcomers are not only closing traditional labour market gaps but also driving national innovation and entrepreneurship at an outsized rate.
Maple News reports that between 2010 and 2023, the employment rate for recent immigrants rose by 10.7%, more than double the 4.1% increase seen among Canadian-born counterparts. As a result, the employment rate gap between the two groups shrank from 13.1% in 2010 to just 6.5% in 2023—signaling a steady trend toward labour market parity.
Unemployment rates tell a similar story. Among newcomers, joblessness fell from 12.1% in 2010 to 6.6% in 2023, nearly closing the gap with Canadian-born workers, whose unemployment rate is comparably lower by only 2.6 percentage points. Importantly, immigrants managed a faster employment rebound following the COVID-19 downturn, especially in sectors like hospitality and retail, which were heavily impacted during the pandemic.
Beyond contributing to workforce growth, immigrants are also becoming pivotal drivers of Canada’s innovation economy. Though representing about 25% of the population, immigrants account for over one-third of the country’s patent applications. In 2019 alone, 34.2% of investors in Canada were immigrant men, while immigrant women comprised 44.3%—a striking overrepresentation compared to their share of the population.
Several systemic changes in immigration policy help explain these outcomes. One key factor is the increasing number of immigrants who arrive in Canada with prior work experience via temporary permits. In 2022, 36% of new permanent residents had Canadian work experience, a substantial rise from just 19% in 2010. Data consistently shows immigrants with local work experience—especially in high-skilled roles—integrate into the labour market more successfully.
Another driver is Canada’s Express Entry system, introduced in 2015, which uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to prioritize economic immigrants who are best positioned to succeed. The CRS allocates higher scores to candidates with Canadian work experience, strong language skills, and higher education—factors that are strongly linked to improved employment outcomes.
These trends reflect a larger policy success story: targeted strategies are helping Canada attract and retain immigrants who contribute meaningfully to both the economy and innovation landscape. As these patterns continue, newcomers are poised to play an even greater role in shaping the country’s future workforce and business environment.
Maple News will continue tracking immigrant labour trends as they evolve under Canada’s dynamic immigration system.