Who Gets Left Out? Studying Inequitable Uptake in Settlement and Employment Services

Project Lead

Vince Hopkins

Team Members

Daniel Rubenson, Sami Abdurahman, Maire O'Hagan (external link) , Mark Williamson (external link) , Rupa Banerjee, Hari KC, Phil Triadafilopoulos, Lydia Laflamme

Cluster: Interrogating Immigrant Un(der)employment: Causes, Consequences and Solutions

The federal government estimates that nearly two-thirds (61%) of newcomers do not access settlement services within the first two years of living in Canada (IRCC, 2017).  Not accessing settlement programs prolongs the path to meaningful employment and contributes to deep inequalities in economic outcomes.

This project aims to understand the barriers preventing disadvantaged newcomers from accessing settlement services in Canada and to propose strategies for governments and service providers to enhance participation and promote equitable outcomes.

1. Why aren't settlement services being accessed by disadvantaged newcomers who could benefit from them?
2. What can governments and service providers do to increase participation and produce more equitable outcomes?

This project focuses on settlement services that target employment and job readiness. It will examine disparities in access to employment services among newcomers as well as Canadians born jobseekers. The project also builds on methodological leadership through the Metaketa initiative of the Evidence in Governance and Politics initiative. The Metaketa approach focuses on coordinated randomized control trials with harmonization of treatments, measurements, and outcomes.

The project is ongoing. New research tools are being developed and tested, and analysis of merged data is in progress.

Expected completion date: December 2026

Past Events and Conferences:

• "Narrative and Text Analysis in the Study of Migration and Citizenship" presented by Vince Hopkins and Mireille Paquet at Centre for Migration Studies - American Political Science Association Pre-Conference Event, December 10, 2025
• "Stereotypes of high- and low-skilled immigrants to Canada: Evidence from an online survey" by Vince Hopkins and Mireille Paquet at American Political Science Association, December 10, 2025

Settlement services; Canada; employment services; immigrant employment; newcomer employment