Determinants of Outmigration

Unemployment

• High rates of unemployment act as a push factor contributing to outmigration;

Family Income (underemployment/underpaid jobs/lack of recognition of immigrant’s credentials)

• Family income acts as a possible contributor to secondary migration;

Education, Age, Years after Landing in Canada

• Age is inversely related to migration;
• Within younger age groups, 25 to 34 year olds have the highest rates of onward migration, followed by 18 to 24 year olds;
• Highly skilled and educated workers are more mobile and more likely to pursue opportunities in other regions if the labour market cannot reward their experience;
• The onward migration of immigrants increases over time, rising from 2% 1 YAL to 12% to 18% by 12 YAL;

Over education

• Overeducated workers are more likely to move out of a province due to job mismatch than their adequately educated and undereducated counterparts;

Gender Ethnicity and Socio Economic Status

• Research on the region has found that sex is strongly related to outmigration. Women are more likely to move than men.

Family Ties/ Welcoming Communities

• The fewer the types of organizations recent immigrants are involved with and the more discrimination they face will lead to increased outmigration from Atlantic Canada

Health 

• Poor health is a proxy for poor living conditions and potentially a manifestation of stress or an unwelcoming community.

Other Factors

• The lack of meaningful connections, the lack of supports for accompanying spouses of international students, the lack of career opportunities in sectors other than oil and gas, and the lack of city amenities may push Graduate Students to leave

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