Immigrant Retention in New Brunswick: an Analysis Using Administrative Data

This paper examines immigrant retention using data contained in the New Brunswick (NB) Citizen Database also known as the Medicare Registry. To date, researchers studying immigrant retention in Canada have had only a few options for suitable data, and each data source is characterized by limitations in the collection process. These constraints limit the conclusions that can be drawn from these data sets. However, by demonstrating the utility and feasibility of an independent data source we are able to add new results to the existing literature. The outcome is an improved understanding of the factors underpinning immigrant retention in the host region and an assessment of the robustness of published results based on data from alternate sources. The principal objective of the paper is to improve current understanding of secondary migration patterns of NB residents. A positive outcome would be an increase in retention rates among vulnerable immigrant and refugee populations.