Race,Language, or Length of Residency? Explaining Unequal Uptake of Government Pensions in Canada |
| |
| Authors: | Josh Curtis Weizhen Dong Naomi Lightman Matthew Parbst |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Bishop’s University, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada;2. Associate Professor, Sociology and Legal Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada;3. Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Sociology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada;4. PhD Student, Department of Sociology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| |
| Abstract: | Canada’s old age security (OAS), a flat-benefit public pension, is internationally lauded as an accessible and effective safety net for seniors. This paper explores discrepancies in OAS uptake using Canadian Census data from 1996 to 2011. Our findings demonstrate disparities in OAS uptake based on immigration status, language proficiency, and visible minority status, disputing claims of “universal” OAS provision. Multivariate analyses confirm a strong “immigrant effect,” with being in Canada for 20 years or less leading to lower rates of OAS utilization. They also confirm that those not proficient in Canada’s official languages are less likely to receive OAS benefits. However, the influence of racialized minority status is found to be spurious; after controlling for immigration status and official language proficiency, many racialized minority senior groups have higher odds of receiving OAS than White Canadians. We conclude with a brief discussion of the tradeoffs involved in considering a potential removal of OAS eligibility barriers for immigrants in Canada. |
| |
| Keywords: | Canada government pensions immigrants income inequality minorities old age security population aging social policy |
|
|
