EFFECTS OF FAMILY BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS ON YOUTH EMPLOYMENT BY MIGRATION STATUS

Abstract

This paper investigates effects of family background characteristics on youth employment by migration status, with a focus on the influence of the highest education level in the family and equivalent family income, using the 2009-2010 microdata from the CCHS. The results indicate that a 10 percent increase in equivalent family income is associated with a 1.12 percent and a 0.39 percent increase in the probability of youth to be employed for immigrant female and native-born female, respectively. However, the family’s highest education level is not the determinant of youth employment. Moreover, employed youth are more likely to work part-time if they attend school, which reduce average 10 working hours per week. Provincial employment rate and other family characteristics such as family size, the language spoken at home, and ethnic background are also associated with youth employment. My findings highlight that, immigrant youth are suggested to be employed and educated more.