Highlights

At the time of the 1991 Census, there were 54,605 people born in Lebanon living in Canada, representing 1% of all immigrants.

There was a large influx of immigrants from Lebanon in the early 1990s. In 1990 and 1991, for example, a total of 25,000 Lebanese immigrants arrived in Canada, representing almost 6% of all immigrants in this period. By 1994, however, the number of immigrants from Lebanon arriving in Canada had fallen to 2,600, 1% of all immigrants.

The large majority of immigrants from Lebanon are now Canadian citizens. As of 1991, 85% of those eligible to apply for citizenship had become Canadian citizens.

The majority of immigrants from Lebanon living in Canada reside in either Quebec or Ontario. In 1991, 48% lived in Quebec and 39% made Ontario their home. As well, 44% of all immigrants from Lebanon living in Canada resided in Montreal; in fact, 92% of all Lebanese immigrants living in Quebec resided in Montreal.

Immigrants from Lebanon are more likely than their Canadian-born counterparts to be aged 25-44. In 1991, 46% of all immigrants from Lebanon were aged 25-44, compared with 33% of people born in Canada. At the same time, the proportion of immigrants from Lebanon aged 65 and over (5%) was only half that of people born in Canada (10%).

The large majority of immigrants from Lebanon in Canada can speak at least one official language. Indeed, in 1991, 44% were bilingual, while 37% could carry on a conversation in English only and 12% could speak French only. At the same time, 7% could not speak either English or French. The majority of immigrants from Lebanon living in Canada, 54% in 1991, spoke Arabic most often in their home, while 10% spoke Armenian.

Immigrants from Lebanon are less likely than all immigrants or people born in Canada to be employed. In 1991, 68% of immigrant men from Lebanon aged 15-64 were employed, compared with 78% of all immigrant men and 76% of Canadian-born men in the same age group. Similarly, 43% of women aged 15-64 from Lebanon were employed that year, compared with 62% of all immigrant and 63% of Canadian-born women in this age group. Immigrants from Lebanon, however, are considerably more likely than people in these other groups to be self-employed.

Immigrants from Lebanon have a relatively high unemployment rate. In 1991, 19.6% of all immigrant labour force participants from Lebanon were unemployed, compared with just over 10% of both all immigrants and the Canadian-born in the labour force.

The incomes of immigrants from Lebanon living in Canada are lower than those of people in other groups. In 1990, immigrants from Lebanon had an average income from all sources of $19,000, compared with $25,300 for all immigrants and $23,700 for those born in Canada.

Introduction

Immigrants have historically made up a substantial proportion of the Canadian population. In 1991, for example, 16% of the population were immigrants. The immigrant population, however, is very diverse; immigrants come from a wide variety of countries and as a result have different histories, cultures and economic backgrounds.

This report describing the immigrant community from Lebanon is one in a series of profiles of immigrants to Canada. It describes the settlement patterns, family status, education, labour force characteristics, incomes and other aspects of immigrants from Lebanon living in Canada.

In most cases, indicators describing the immigrant population from Lebanon are compared with those of the overall immigrant and Canadian-born populations. These comparisons provide a sense of how immigrants from Lebanon have integrated into Canadian society.

The information used in this report is from either the 1991 Census of Canada or Citizenship and Immigration Canada administrative files. The census data describe the various populations living in Canada at the time of the 1991 Census. The data from Citizenship and Immigration Canada provide the number of immigrants arriving in Canada each year.

A PROFILE OF IMMIGRANTS FROM LEBANON IN CANADA

There are a substantial number of immigrants from Lebanon (1) currently living in Canada. At the time of the 1991 Census, there were 54,605 people born in Lebanon living in Canada, representing 1% of all immigrants. Immigrants born in Lebanon made up 0.2% of the total Canadian population that year.

There was a large influx of immigrants from Lebanon in the early 1990s. In 1990 and 1991, for example, a total of 25,000 Lebanese immigrants arrived in Canada, representing almost 6% of all immigrants in this period. By 1994, however, the number of immigrants from Lebanon arriving in Canada had fallen to 2,600, 1% of all immigrants. Similarly, immigrants from Lebanon generally made up 1% or less of all immigrants coming to Canada each year in the period between 1955 and 1985, while they accounted for about 2% of those who arrived in the late 1980s.

Given this pattern, most immigrants from Lebanon living in Canada today are relatively recent arrivals. Indeed, over 60% of those living in Canada at the time of the 1991 Census arrived in the 1980s, while another 26% came between 1971 and 1980. In contrast, 8% came in the 1960s and only 4% arrived before 1961.

Canadian citizenship

Despite the fact that most immigrants from Lebanon are relatively recent arrivals in Canada, the large majority are now Canadian citizens. As of 1991, 85% of all those eligible to apply for citizenship had become Canadian citizens.

As with all immigrants, the share of immigrants from Lebanon with Canadian citizenship is highest among those who have been in the country the longest. For example, 93% of those living in Canada in 1991 who immigrated prior to 1971 and 88% of those who came between 1971 and 1980 were Canadian citizens, compared with 76% of those who arrived in the 1981-1987 period.

Whatever their period of immigration, immigrants from Lebanon are more likely than their counterparts in the overall immigrant population to have Canadian citizenship. For example, of those who arrived before 1971, 93% of Lebanese immigrants, versus 88% of all immigrants, were Canadian citizens. Similarly, among those who arrived in the 1970s, 88% of Lebanese immigrants, compared with 78% of all immigrants, had gained Canadian citizenship, while the figures among those who arrived in the 1981-1987 period were 76% and 65%, respectively.

Provincial distribution

The majority of immigrants from Lebanon living in Canada reside in either Quebec or Ontario. In 1991, 48% lived in Quebec and 39% made Ontario their home. At the same time, 9% resided in Alberta and 2% lived in each of British Columbia and Nova Scotia, while 1% lived in the remaining provinces combined. Immigrants from Lebanon, however, represent less than 0.5% of the overall population in every province.

Urban dwellers

The immigrant population from Lebanon is highly urbanized. In 1991, 95% of all immigrants from Lebanon lived within a Census Metropolitan Area (CMA), compared with 84% of all immigrants and 56% of the Canadian-born population.

More immigrants from Lebanon live in Montreal than in any other CMA. In 1991, 44% of all immigrants from Lebanon living in Canada resided in Montreal. In fact, 92% of all Lebanese immigrants living in Quebec resided in Montreal.

At the same time, 16% of immigrants from Lebanon lived in Ottawa-Hull and 14% lived in Toronto, while 4% lived in each of Edmonton, Calgary and Windsor.

Age distribution

Immigrants from Lebanon are more likely than their Canadian-born counterparts to be aged 25-44. In 1991, 46% of all immigrants from Lebanon were aged 25-44, compared with 33% of people born in Canada. At the same time, the proportion of immigrants from Lebanon aged 65 and over (5%) was only half that of people born in Canada (10%). Immigrants from Lebanon were also less likely than people born in Canada, 31% versus 39%, to be under age 25. (1)

As well, women make up a smaller proportion of elderly immigrants from Lebanon than they do in other groups. In 1991, 52% of immigrants from Lebanon who were aged 65 and over were female, compared with 56% of all immigrant seniors and 57% of seniors born in Canada.

Language

The large majority of immigrants from Lebanon in Canada can speak at least one official language. In 1991, 93% could conduct a conversation in one or both official languages. Indeed, 44% of all Lebanese immigrants were bilingual, while 37% could carry on a conversation in English and 12% could speak French. At the same time, 7% could not speak either English or French.

A majority of immigrants from Lebanon living in Canada, 54% in 1991, spoke Arabic most often in their home, while 10% spoke Armenian. Another 22% said their home language was English, 13% spoke French and 1% spoke some other language.

Religion

In 1991, 33% of immigrants from Lebanon were affiliated with the Catholic Church, 29% were Moslems, 24% were Eastern Orthodox, 10% were Protestant and 1% were affiliated with other religions. At the same time, 2% said they had no religious affiliation; this, however, was well below the figure for the population born in Canada, 12% of whom reported no religious affiliation.

Family status

Immigrants from Lebanon aged 15-64 about as likely as other immigrants and the Canadian-born in this age range to live with their immediate family. (2) In 1991, 83% of immigrants from Lebanon aged 15-64 lived with members of their immediate family, as did 86% of all immigrants and 84% of the Canadian-born population in this age range.

Immigrants from Lebanon under age 65, though, are more likely than their counterparts among all immigrants and people born in Canada to be living with their husband or wife, while they are less likely to live common law or to be lone parents. For example, among those aged 25-44, just 1% of Lebanese immigrants lived in a common-law union in 1991, compared with 4% of all immigrants and 12% of those born in Canada. Similarly, just 4% of Lebanese immigrant women aged 15-44 were lone parents in 1991, versus 7% of both all immigrant women and women born in Canada in this age range.

Senior immigrants from Lebanon are more likely than seniors in other groups to live with their family. In 1991, 65% of Lebanese immigrants aged 65 and over lived with members of their immediate family in 1991, compared with 62% of all immigrant seniors and 61% of Canadian-born seniors.

Immigrant seniors from Lebanon are also much less likely than other seniors to live alone. In 1991, only 10% of immigrants from Lebanon aged 65 and over, compared with 25% of all immigrant seniors and 29% of Canadian-born seniors, lived alone. Relatively few immigrant seniors from Lebanon live alone, in large part, because a substantial percentage live with members of their extended family. In 1991, 65% of all immigrants from Lebanon aged 65 and over who did not live with their immediate family lived with other relatives; this compared with 29% of their counterparts in the overall immigrant population and 18% of those who were Canadian-born.

Fertility levels

Immigrant women from Lebanon living in Canada have generally had more children than other immigrant women or those born in Canada. For example, immigrant women from Lebanon aged 15-44 who had ever been married had had an average of 2.2 children as of 1991, compared with 1.8 for their counterparts among all immigrant women and 1.6 among those born in Canada. When differences in age are taken into consideration (3), however, the fertility level of these immigrant women from Lebanon was 2.3.

Education

Immigrants from Lebanon living in Canada are more likely than people in other groups to have a university degree. In 1991, 18% of all immigrants from Lebanon aged 15 and over had a university degree, compared with 14% of all immigrants and 11% of the Canadian-born adult population.

At the same time, immigrants from Lebanon are also more likely than the Canadian-born population to have less than a Grade 9 education: 16% versus 13%. As well, the gap between the proportions of Lebanese immigrants and people born in Canada with less than a Grade 9 education increases when differences in age are taken into consideration. (3)

Young immigrant adults from Lebanon are about as likely as other young adults to be attending school. In 1991, 62% of immigrants from Lebanon aged 15-24 were in school either full-time or part-time, as were 64% of all immigrants and 61% of the Canadian-born in this age group.

Immigrants from Lebanon are considerably more likely than either all immigrants or those born in Canada to be graduates of professional programs in engineering, mathematics and science. For example, 26% of immigrant men from Lebanon with postsecondary qualifications in 1991 were graduates of these types of programs, compared with 17% of all immigrant men and 9% of Canadian-born men. Immigrant men from Lebanon were also more likely than men in these other groups to be graduates of commerce, management and business administration programs, while they were less likely to be graduates of most other programs.

Similarly, among women, 8% of immigrants from Lebanon with postsecondary qualifications were graduates of professional programs in mathematics, engineering and science, compared with 5% of all immigrant women and 2% of those born in Canada. At the same time, 10% of immigrant women from Lebanon were graduates of health-related programs, although this was only about half the figure for both all immigrant women (19%) and women born in Canada (20%). As with other women, however, the largest share of immigrant Lebanese women with postsecondary qualifications, 31% in 1991, were graduates of business, management and commerce programs.

Employment characteristics

Immigrants from Lebanon are less likely than all immigrants or people born in Canada to be employed. In 1991, for example, 68% of immigrant men from Lebanon aged 15-64 were employed, compared with 78% of all immigrant men and 76% of Canadian-born men in the same age group. Similarly, that year, 43% of women aged 15-64 from Lebanon were employed, compared with 62% of all immigrant and 63% of Canadian-born women in this age group. As well, these patterns remain relatively unchanged when differences in age are taken into consideration. (3)

Immigrants from Lebanon are also less likely than workers in other groups to have full-time, full-year jobs. Among employed men, for example, 51% of immigrant men from Lebanon, compared with 63% of all immigrant men and 59% of Canadian-born men, worked full-time, full-year in 1990. Similarly, among women, 37% of employed women born in Lebanon worked at full-time, full-year jobs, compared with 50% of all immigrant women and 45% of Canadian-born women.

Immigrants from Lebanon, however, are considerably more likely than people in other groups to be self-employed. In 1991, 22% of employed immigrant men from Lebanon were self-employed, versus 16% of all immigrant men with jobs and 12% of those born in Canada. There was a similar pattern among women. In 1991, 10% of immigrant women from Lebanon with jobs owned their own businesses, compared with 8% of all immigrant women and 6% of Canadian-born women.

Occupational distribution

Immigrants from Lebanon are more likely than their counterparts among both the total immigrant and Canadian-born populations to work in clerical, sales and service occupations. Among employed men, for example, 41% of immigrant men form Lebanon worked in clerical, sales or service jobs, compared with 26% of both all immigrant and Canadian-born men. Conversely, the proportion of immigrant men from Lebanon working in construction, 5% in 1991, was only about half the figure for men in both these other groups. Lebanese immigrant men, though, were about as likely as other men to hold professional and management positions. In 1991, 28% of immigrant men from Lebanon had jobs in these fields, as did 27% of men born in Canada and 32% of all immigrant men.

The majority of employed immigrant women from Lebanon have clerical, sales or service jobs. Indeed, in 1991, 64% of all Lebanese immigrant women with jobs worked in these areas, above figures for both all immigrant women (53%) and women born in Canada (58%). On the other hand, only 23% of employed immigrant women from Lebanon worked in professional or administrative occupations in 1991, compared with 30% of all immigrant women and 33% of those born in Canada.

Unemployment

Immigrants from Lebanon have a relatively high unemployment rate. In 1991, 19.6% of all immigrant labour force participants from Lebanon were unemployed, compared with just over 10% of both all immigrants and the Canadian-born in the labour force. When differences in age are taken into consideration (3), however, the gaps between the unemployment rates of immigrants from Lebanon (18.5%) and those of all immigrants (10.8%) and people born in Canada (10.1%) decline somewhat.

Young immigrant adults from Lebanon have particularly high unemployment rates. In 1991, around 24% of both male and female immigrant labour force participants from Lebanon aged 15-24 were unemployed. As well, for both men and women, immigrants from Lebanon had higher unemployment rates than their counterparts in the all immigrant and Canadian-born populations in all age ranges.

Income

The incomes of immigrants from Lebanon living in Canada are lower than those of people in other groups. In 1990, immigrants from Lebanon had an average income from all sources of $19,000, compared with $25,300 for all immigrants and $23,700 for those born in Canada. As well, these differences remain when differences in age are taken into consideration. (3)

As with other groups, immigrant men from Lebanon have higher average incomes than their female counterparts. In fact, the average income of immigrant men from Lebanon in 1990, at $22,500, was over 50% greater than that of immigrant women from Lebanon ($13,200).

There is also some variation in the incomes of immigrants from Lebanon in different age groups, although this difference is considerably lower than that experienced in other groups. In 1990, immigrants aged 15-64 born in Lebanon had an average income from all sources of $19,100, compared with $17,500 for those aged 65 and over. As well, the average income of immigrants from Lebanon in both age groups was below that of both all immigrants and the Canadian-born in these age ranges, although the gap is much smaller among seniors.

Income from transfer payments

Overall, immigrants from Lebanon receive about the same share of their income from government transfer payments as people in other groups. In 1990, 13% of all income of immigrants from Lebanon came from these sources, as did 12% of that of all immigrants and 11% of that of the Canadian-born population.

As with other groups, immigrant seniors from Lebanon receive a much larger share of their income from government transfer payments than their counterparts under age 65. In 1990, 42% of all income of immigrants from Lebanon aged 65 and over came from these programs, compared with 11% of that of those aged 15-64. The proportion of the income of senior immigrants from Lebanon coming from transfer payments (42%), however, was below that of their counterparts among all immigrants (45%) and those born in Canada (46%), whereas the opposite was the case among those aged 15-64.

Population with low income

A relatively large proportion of immigrants from Lebanon have low incomes. In 1990, 43% had incomes below Statistics Canada Low-income Cut-offs, compared with 15% of the Canadian-born population and 19% of all immigrants. As well, when differences in age are taken into consideration (3) the gap between the proportion of Lebanese immigrants (46%) and people born in Canada (15%) rose slightly.

Among immigrants from Lebanon, young adults experience higher rates of low income than those in older age groups. In 1990, 45% of immigrants from Lebanon aged 15-24 lived in a low-income situation, compared with 39% of those aged 25-64 and 34% of seniors. In all age ranges, however, the share of immigrants from Lebanon with low incomes exceeded figures for all immigrants and people born in Canada.

1. The immigrant population from Lebanon refers to those with landed-immigrant status (whether or not they are currently Canadian citizens) born in Lebanon. It is important to note that children born in Canada to immigrants from Lebanon are not included in the Lebanese immigrant population but rather are included in the Canadian-born population. As well, the data in this report include only the non-institutionalized population in the various groups. Persons in institutions include those in hospitals and related institutions, special care facilities for the elderly or chronically ill, children's group homes and orphanages, and correctional and penal institutions.

2. Persons living with their family include spouses (either married or common-law), lone parents, and never-married children living at home. Persons not living with their family include those living alone, in an extended family with other relatives, or with unrelated persons.

3. Socio-economic indicators, such as fertility levels, educational attainment levels, employment levels, unemployment rates, average income, and the incidence of low income may be affected by the age distribution of a population. Therefore, in order to compare two or more populations, it is useful to eliminate the effects of differences in age structures. This is done using a procedure known as age standardization. For selected socio-economic data in this profile, both the immigrant population from Lebanon and the total immigrant population have been standardized or adjusted so that they have the same age structure as the Canadian-born population. Age-standardized figures may differ from actual figures, but they make comparisons between immigrants from Lebanon, all immigrants and the Canadian-born population more meaningful.