Research Symposium on English-Speaking Immigration in Quebec

The research symposium started with Yvan Déry, from Canadian Heritage, delivering opening remarks that emphasized the importance of developing research projects to better understand how immigration can contribute to the vitality of English-speaking communities in Quebec given their specific challenges and barriers. The first theme of presentations addressed the socio-economic profile of English-speaking immigrants in Quebec. Jean-Pierre Corbeil, from Statistics Canada, discussed the over-qualification of English-speaking immigrants using the 2011 National Household Survey and the 2011 Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) survey results. The second theme of the research symposium was about the outcomes of English-speaking immigrants in Quebec. Examining the 2006 census data and 2007-2008 Canadian Community Health Survey, Vicki Esses and Zenaida Ravanera from Western University examined the socio- economic and social integration of immigrants in Quebec. The third theme was the retention of English-speaking immigrants in Quebec. Michael Haan from Western University examined the individual and collective characteristics likely to indicate whether or not official language minority communities impact immigrant retention in provinces. The fourth theme addressed settlement and integration strategies and best practices. Michèle Vatz-Laaroussi, from Université de Sherbrooke, presented the results of a research project comparing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Quebec City and Sherbrooke.