National immigration ‘models,’ social welfare regimes, and Muslims’ economic incorporation in France and Canada

• In Event: 3251 - Section on International Migration Refereed Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 5. Comparative Immigrant Integration

Abstract

Using France and Canada as comparative cases, this paper explores the impact of national context on the economic incorporation of Muslim minorities. Based on highly comparable large-scale surveys (Trajectoires et Origines in France 2008-09, the Canadian National Household Survey 2011), we consider the effects of social welfare regimes – corporatist-statist in France and liberal in Canada – and immigrant incorporation ‘models’ – republican secularism in France, multiculturalism in Canada – to explain patterns of Muslims’ household incomes. Québec, which pursues a intercultural ‘model’, is analyzed as a hybrid case within Canada. Taking account of differences in Muslims’ origins, time-of-arrival/generation, and education, we find that setting-specific patterns of Muslim disadvantage apply similarly to all minorities. Despite skill-selective immigration in Canada, immigrant disadvantage generally is greater there (including in Québec) than in France; but trends in Canada are more positive for those in the country longer, and especially for the second generation. Net of human capital variables, Muslim-specific disadvantage is similar across settings, suggesting a similarity in religion-based discrimination; however notably this disadvantage is less for second-generation Muslims in English Canada.

Authors

• Jeffrey G. Reitz, University of Toronto

• Emily J. Laxer, Glendon College, York University

• Patrick Simon, INED