A profile of the academic backgrounds of Ottawa's recent immigrant with post-secondary
credentials (based on 1996 Census data) shows that they are more likely than the
Canadian-born population to have majored in the physical sciences, engineering and
trades (44% compared to 30%). One in ten recent immigrants with a post-secondary
degree or diploma majored in a health related field - the same proportion found among
Ottawa's Canadian-born population.

Language Skills

According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada landing records, the majority (75%) of new arrivals intending to seek employment in Ottawa possess language abilities in at least one of Canada's two official languages. About 10% can speak both English and French. However, a sizable share of newcomers (25%) does not have language ability in either English or French. As a result, many immigrants seek language training to upgrade their skills and improve their employment prospects.

Evidence suggests that after a relatively short-time in Canada, the vast majority of recent immigrants have working knowledge of English or French. For example, the 1996 Census indicates that 95% of Ottawa's recent immigrant workforce – that is, people arriving in Canada between 1991 and 1996 and seeking employment in Ottawa - had language abilities in at least one official language.