According to Statistics Canada, employment among immigrants increased 2.1 percent in 2007 while employment for Canadian-born workers increased just 1.3 percent.

Employment among "core working-age" immigrants, those aged 25 to 54, rose by 52,000 over 2006, meaning 77.9 per cent of New Canadians were employed. However, employment among Canadian-born workers grew as well, with a total employment rate of 83.8 percent.

While labour forces for both Canadian- and foreign-born core groups grew in 2007, the gap can be explained due to the fact that the immigrant population itself grew far faster than their employment.

Statistics Canada said that almost all of the employment growth for immigrants last year occurred among "established" immigrants, especially those who have been in Canada for more than 10 years.

More than half of the growth in employment among core working-age immigrants last year occurred in Quebec, where it was up 28,000 over 2006.

As well, employment for immigrant women aged 25 to 54 increased by 47,000, accounting for the vast majority of the estimated 52,000 gain for core working-age immigrants.