Going up? Canada's metropolitan areas and their role as escalators or elevators

Canada's major metropolitan areas offer multiple opportunities for economic and social advancement for in-migrants. As such, young adults may be attracted to these locations. In-migrants to Toronto have been observed to receive a substantial income benefit associated with migration into Toronto that is consistent with a productivity effect. This income effect is greater than the income benefit received by migrants elsewhere in the system or those who did not migrate. However, migration into Toronto did not lead to an acceleration in income gains consistent with the more rapid career progression expected to result from migration into an escalator region. Consequently, this paper explores the income benefits for young adult migrants by considering the role of other major metropolitan areas within Canada, and whether they function similarly to Toronto, as escalators, or serve other roles that are unique to employment sector and type.