Socioeconomic Attainment of Visible Minority Immigrant Women in Canada

This study examines the impact of age at immigration on socioeconomic attainment of visible minority immigrant women in Canada using data from the 2001 Census of Canada. Multivariate regression analysis indicates that among visible minority immigrant women child immigrants have higher educational attainment, and higher occupational prestige and higher income attainment than teen immigrants. The interaction effect shows that child immigrant women of visible minority have higher educational attainment, higher occupational prestige and higher income attainment compared to teen immigrant women of not visible minority. These findings are explained in the context of a theoretical framework that considers, among other factors, the importance of differential parental expectations for their immigrant children with regard to educational attainment.