More inclined to perceive barriers such as financial constraints
Immigrant workers are somewhat less likely to receive job-related training than their Canadian-born counterparts, according to Statistics Canada.
In looking at the period between July 2007 and June 2008, 35 per cent of Canadian-born men received job training, compared with 31 per cent of immigrant men. Among women, 37 per cent of the Canadian-born took some job-related training, compared with 33 per cent of immigrant women.
Immigrant employees, both men and women, were less likely to participate in job-related training even after controls were in place for personal, job and workplace characteristics, said StatsCan.
Compared with the Canadian-born people, certain groups of immigrants were less likely to receive training. For example, one-fifth of male immigrant employees who were not Canadian citizens participated in job training. Those who immigrated as adults were almost 10 per cent less likely than their Canadian-born counterparts to receive training.
As well, immigrants who were admitted in the family class had significantly lower rates of job-related training than Canadian-born workers, said Statistics Canada.
Among those who participated in job-related training, there were no significant differences in the number of training hours and courses between immigrant and Canadian-born workers. For immigrant and non-immigrant participants alike, about 90 per cent reported they were satisfied with the results of training.
Within the immigrant population, the groups less likely to receive training were workers with the lowest personal income, in occupations requiring a high school education or less, and in smaller firms.
Immigrant employees were also more likely to perceive the presence of barriers to access to training than their Canadian-born counterparts, found the study. About 35 per cent of immigrant women and 31 per cent of immigrant men reported barriers, compared with 30 per cent of Canadian-born women and 25 per cent of Canadian-born men.
Major barriers perceived by immigrants included family responsibilities and financial constraints.
