The Growing Educational Attainment Gap Between Second-Generation and Third-Generation Immigrants in Canada

Abstract

This paper examines the growing educational attainment gap, in terms of obtaining a university degree, between Canadians with and without immigrant parents. I exploit the 1995, 2001, 2006, and 2011 waves of the General Social Survey to estimate whether the educational transmission profiles for second-generation and third-generation (or more) immigrants have changed over time. I find that, in recent years, having immigrant parents of any education level is correlated with a higher likelihood of obtaining a university degree.