New figures from Statistics Canada appear to show the employment gap between immigrants and Canadian-born workers is narrowing, as employers increasingly rely on newcomers to fill jobs in this country.
The federal research agency found 78.9% of newcomers aged 25 to 54 are in the workforce, compared to 84% of people who are Canadian-born.
The unemployment rate for core working-age immigrants in 2017 was 6.4%, the lowest since 2006 when Statistics Canada first began tracking employment among newcomers through its Labour Force Survey.
Canada has an aging workforce, with the large baby boom population moving into retirement age and fewer young people available to take up jobs.
Last year, 26% of Canada's total workforce of core working-age were landed immigrants.
Statistics Canada says first-generation immigrants will make up an increasingly important part of the workforce over the next decade.
By 2036, the agency projects the share of immigrants in Canada's population would stand between 24.5% and 30% and Canada will be competing with other industrial countries for a share of young, skilled workers.
Most of the growth in the workforce between 2016 and 2017 was accounted for by immigrants of core working age and Canadian-born workers aged 55 and older.
From 2016 to 2017, which was regarded as a good year in Canada for generating jobs, 87,000 new immigrants joined the workforce, compared to 59,000 new Canadian-born workers.
