Open AccessThe Impact of Currency Exchange Rates and Canadian and U.S. Unemployment Rates on Non-Immigrant Visas from Canada to the U.S.
Author(s) -
W. Andrew Harrell,
Jennifer A. Boisvert
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
canadian studies in population
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.157
H-Index - 8
eISSN - 1927-629X
pISSN - 0380-1489
DOI - 10.25336/p6c60g
Subject(s) - immigration , unemployment , liberian dollar , economics , demographic economics , currency , matching (statistics) , human capital , political science , monetary economics , economic growth , law , statistics , mathematics , finance
Changes in immigration rates by Canadians from 1989 to 2006 were examinedfor three non-immigrant visa categories. Cross correlation functions (CCF)were calculated relating changes in numbers of visas to changes in Canada-U.S.currency exchange and unemployment rates. Regression analyses tested Han-Ibbott’s (2005) model of immigration decision-making and a variation ofHerrnstein’s (1961) matching law. CCF analysis found that currency exchangeand unemployment rates were predictive of changes in immigration rates.Regression analyses indicated that a devalued Canadian dollar discouragedmigration to the U.S. These findings have implications for Canada-U.S.inequities in bilateral immigration under NAFTA, with Canada experiencing agreater drain in human capital.