Overview

Abstract (English)

Among immigrants who came to Canada recently, some are seniors over the age of 65. This study examines the factors associated with the low-income rate of senior immigrants, with a focus on access to Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) benefits.

In 2016, senior immigrants represented 31% of the total senior population over the age of 65. Of all Canadian seniors, about 2% were senior immigrants who landed in Canada 1 to 10 years before the 2016 Census, and another 2% landed in the 11 to 20 years before the 2016 Census.
The income of senior immigrants who landed 1 to 10 years before the census mostly came from private pension or employment sources. This contrasts with other senior immigrants, whose income came mostly from public pension sources.
The proportion of senior immigrants who were in low income was 24% of those who landed 1 to 10 years prior to the Census and 26% of those who landed 11 to 20 years prior to the Census. This compared with 11% of senior immigrants who had been in Canada for over 40 years and 14% of non-immigrant seniors.
Among senior immigrants who landed within the two decades preceding the Census, those who had access to OAS/GIS benefits were 7 percentage points less likely to be in low income than those who did not have access to such benefits, after accounting for other factors. Other factors, such as homeownership, household type, and benefiting from a social security agreement with Canada, were also related to the low income of senior immigrants.

Abstract (French)

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