The global talent pool – who are they?
Edmonton’s immigrants come from all over the world and represent a diversity of cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Over the past several decades there has been a considerable change in the source countries of immigrants. Asian origins are predominant among immigrants who landed after 1995. India, China and Philippines remain important source countries.
They are bilingual
More than nine out of 10 persons who immigrated between 1996 and 2001 reported being able to conduct a conversation in English or French. For six in 10 very recent immigrants and more than one half of immigrants who landed during the 1986 -1995 period the language most often spoken at home is a language other than English or French.
They are educated
The level of education of very recent immigrants in Edmonton is quite high compared to that of Canadian-born residents; 30% of immigrant women and over one-third of immigrant men have a university degree, twice as high as Canadian-born.
They are family oriented
The majority of recent immigrants live with relatives, and they are twice as likely as Canadian-born residents to live in extended families. Less than one in 10 recent immigrants of 65 years of age and over lives alone, compared to three in 10 of their Canadian-born counterparts.
They are young people
Almost one half of very recent immigrants are 25 to 44 years of age, and 20% are children under 15 years of age. In Edmonton’s Canadian-born population, each of these groups account for over 25%.