Skip to main content
Log in

Religious identity and educational attainment among recent immigrants to Canada: Gender, age, and 2nd generation

  • Articles
  • Published:
Journal of International Migration and Integration / Revue de l'integration et de la migration internationale Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Using data from Canadian decennial censuses, this article explores the relationship of religious identity and educational attainment among post-1970 immigrants to Canada and their Canadian-born offspring. Immigrants have higher levels of educational attainment than the Canadian average, but in the first generation men have higher levels than women in each religious category, and Sikhs and Buddhists are on average significantly less well educated. These differences diminish in the younger immigrants and disappear in the second generation. Here women are consistently better educated than men, and no religion stands out. Yet the high educational levels among immigrants do not correspond to income levels. Muslims are particularly disadvantaged in this regard.

Résumé

En se servant des résultats de recensements canadiens, l’article fait une analyse des relations entre les identités religieuses et les niveaux de scolarisation des immigrants au Canada depuis 1970 et de leurs enfants nés au Canada. En général, les immigrants atteignent un niveau de scolarisation qui est supérieur à la moyenne canadienne. De plus, dans la première génération, les hommes ont plus d’éducation que les femmes dans chaque catégorie religieuse, et les sikhs et les bouddhistes sont en général moins scolarisés que d’autres groupes. Cet écart se rétrécit chez les immigrants plus jeunes et disparaît dans la deuxième génération où les femmes atteignent un niveau d’instruction supérieur à celui des hommes et aucune religion nese distingue sur le plan éducationnel. Néanmoins, ces niveaux élevés d’éducation chez les immigrants ne correspondent pas à leur niveaux de revenu. À cet égard, les musulmans sont particulièrement défavorisés.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anisef, P., & Kilbride, K.M. (Eds.). (2003). Managing two worlds: The experiences and concenrs of immigrant youth in Ontario. Toronto, ON: Canadian Scholars Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beiser, M. (1999). Strangers at the Gate. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhatnagar, J. (1984). Adjustment and education of South Asian children in Canada. In R.N. Kanungo (Ed.). South Asians in the Canadian mosaic (pp. 49–66), Montreal, QC: Kala Bharati Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyd, M., & Grieco, E.M. (1998). Triumphant transitions: Socioeconomic achievements of the second generation in Canada. International Migration. Review, 32, 853–876.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bramadat, P., & Seljak, D. (Eds.) (2005). Religion and ethnicity in Canada. Toronto, ON: Pearson Longman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Charon, M. (1988). Between two worlds: The Canadian immigrant experience (rev ed.), Montreal, QC: Nu-Age Editions.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coward, H., Hinnells, J.R., & Williams, R.B. (Eds.) (2000). The South Asian religious diaspora in Britain, Canada, and the United States. Albany, NY: SUNY Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geschwender, J.A., & Guppy, N. (1995). Ethnicity, educational attainment, and earned income among Canadian-born men and women. Canadian Ethnic Studies/Études ethniques au Canada, 27(1), 67–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gosine, K. (2000). Revisiting the notion of a «recast» vertical mosaic in Canada: Does a post secondary education make a difference? Canadian Ethnic Studies/Études ethniques au Canada 32(3), 89–104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haddad, Y.Y., & Smith, J.I. (Eds.) (2002). Muslim minorities in the West: Visible and invisible. Walnut Creek, CA: Altamira Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halli, S.S., & Driedger, L. (Eds.). (1999). Immigrant Canada: Demographic, economic, and social challenges. Toronto ON: University of Toronto Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanvey, L., & Kunz, J.L. (2000). Immigrant youth in Canada: A research report from the Canadian Council on Social Development. Ottawa: Canadian Council on Social Development.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henripin, J. (2003). La métamorphose de la population canadienne. Montreal, QC: Les Éditions Varia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hussain, A. (2001). The Canadian face of Islam: Muslim communities in Toronto. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Toronto.

  • Janhevich, D., & Ibrahim, H. (2004). Muslims in Canada: An illustrative and demographic profile. Our Diverse Cities, 1, 49–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • kalbach, W., & Richard, M.A. (1990). Ethno-religious identity and acculturation. In S.S. Halli, F. Trovato, & L. Driedger (Eds.), Ethnic demography: Canadian immigrant, racial and cultural variations (pp. 179–188). Ottawa: Carleton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lam, L. (1994). Immigrant students. In P. Anisef (Ed.), Learning and sociological profiles of Canadian high school students (pp. 121–130). Queenston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Li, Q. (2000). Ethnic minority churches: The cases of the Canadian Chinese Christian churches in Ottawa. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Ottawa.

  • McLellan, J. (1999). Many petals of the lotus: Five Asian Buddhist communites in Toronto. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pendakur, R. (2000). Immigrants and the labour force: Policy, regulation, and impact. Montreal, QC. McGill-Queen’s University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramirez, F.O., & Boli, J. (1987). The political construction of mass schooling: European origins and worldwide institutionalization. Sociology of Education, 60, 2–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sekar, R. (2001). Global reconstruction of Hinduism: A case study of Sri Lankan Tamils in Canada. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Ottawa.

  • Shamai, S. (1992). Ethnicity and educational achievement in Canada 1941–1981. Canadian Ethnic Studies/Études ethniques au Canada, 24(1), 43–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stafford, J. (1994). Welcome but why? Recent changes in Canadian immigration policy. In F. Trovato & C.F. Grindstaff (Eds.), Perspectives on Canada’s population: An introduction to concepts and issues (pp. 322–341). Toronto, ON: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Statistics Canada. (2003a). 1971, 1981, 1991 & 2001 Census custom tabulations. DO0324. CD-ROM. Ottawa: Statistics Canada, Advisory Services Division.

    Google Scholar 

  • Statistics Canada. (2003b). Immigrant status (4) for population, for Canada, provinces and territories, 1911 to 2001 Censuses 20% sample data. Catalogue Number 97F0009XCB01001. Retrieved May 2003 from: www.statcan.ca.

  • Statistics Canada. (2004). Religion (18), immigrant status and period of immigration (9), age (7), ethnic origin (15), ethnic origin single/multiple response (3), total income groups (9) and sex (3) for population, for Canada and selected Census metropolitan areas, 2001 Census. CD-ROM. Ottawa: Department of Canadian Heritage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waugh, E.H., Abu-Laban, S.M., & Qureshi, R.B. (Eds.). (1991). Muslim families in North America. Edmonton, AB: University of Alberta Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilkinson, M. (1999). Global migration and transformation among Canadian Pentecostals. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Ottawa.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Beyer, P. Religious identity and educational attainment among recent immigrants to Canada: Gender, age, and 2nd generation. Int. Migration & Integration 6, 177–199 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-005-1009-2

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-005-1009-2

Key words

Mots-clefs

Navigation