Newcomers lured by job prospects
Calgary Herald - Wednesday, February 12, 2003
In April 2001, Ting Zhao landed in Canada from Beijing hoping to find work and start a new life.
Three months later, Zhao had landed a senior-level job in Calgary with GPS equipment manufacturer CSI Wireless Inc.
Now, he recommends this city to friends who are looking for work.
"Not only my friends in China, but also my friends in Vancouver and Toronto, even native Canadians. I tell them, 'Come to Calgary,'" says Zhao, who calls himself Thomas.
"There are more opportunities in Calgary, definitely."
According to 2001 census data released Tuesday by Statistics Canada, Zhao is one of roughly 12,000 immigrants who have been making Calgary their home since 1995, drawn here by the lure of employment.
The federal agency says Calgary's consistently strong labour market and reputation as the job capital of Canada is making it a destination of choice for job-hungry immigrants.
The figures show new Canadians quickly find jobs in Calgary, many in the high-tech sector, giving new arrivals a higher employment rate in this city compared with those born in Canada.
"Calgary is emerging as a centre of attraction for immigrants," StatsCan said, noting that while four per cent of recent immigrants to Canada settle in Calgary, they account for three per cent of the city's workforce.
That's disproportionately high, said Mario Lefebvre, associate director of the Conference Board of Canada.
Recent immigrants are considered those who arrived in Calgary between 1996 and 2000.
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Calgary's workforce
1991 1996 2001
Labour force 259,970 267,925 291,950
Non-immigrants 202,415 211,065 227,450
All immigrants 55,520 55,415 61,940
Recent immigrants* 10,440 11,275 12,275
Employment rate %
Labour force 82.7 83.3 84.8
Non-immigrants 83.7 84.8 86.4
All immigrants 79.8 78.6 80.2
Recent immigrants* 71.5 70.4 73.6
-Those who immigrated to Canada in the five years preceding each census
Source: Statistics Canada
© Copyright 2003 Calgary Herald