Differences in Fertility Decisions of Canadian Immigrant Households

Alicia Adsera, Princeton University
Ana Ferrer, University of Calgary

We explore the fertility decisions of Canadian immigrants using the 20% sample of the Canadian Census of Population for the years 1991 to 2006 among women 16 to 45 years of age. We study the relevance of arrival cohort and age at migration. We find a nonlinear relationship between age of migration and the difference between native and immigrant fertility, with those migrating in their late teens being the farthest from natives. Also we include measures of family composition and find the presence of additional family members to be relevant. Finally we turn to the intergenerational assimilation of immigrants. The 2001 and 2006 census provides information on parental place of birth which allows distinguishing immigrants by first, second, and second and a half generation. We study the relationship between number of children and place of origin of father and/or mother among second generation immigrants as compared to migrants.