Don J. DeVoretz

Market Structure for Farmed Salmon

Farmed salmon represents 20% of the total volume of the worlds salmon supply. Norwegian salmon farmers produce more than 50% of the worlds farmed salmon. Rapid expansion of this industry raises important issues about market model specification. We specify and test models with varying degrees of market power, including third-degree price discrimination, using Norwegian export data from 1983 to 1988. Results indicate that Norwegian exporters have limited ability to engage in regional price discrimination, although they may have discriminated after the third quarter of 1987. Seasonal price discrimination, however, may have taken place because demand is more inelastic in periods when fresh wild-caught salmon are unavailable.

Household Demand for Fish and Meat Products: Separability and Demographic Effects

By reviewing the current demand literature for fish and meat, it is apparent that several inadequacies arise from the problems of market delineation or aggregation errors. Inappropriate aggregation may lead to biases in price elasticities and associated specification problems with respect to identifying substitutes. Formal separability tests allow for identification of appropriate aggregation levels and the relevant products or market boundaries in a systematic manner. A formal demand system for fish and meat can thus be estimated with one data set over various aggregations with the appropriate demographic arguments. The present article tests for separability (and thus relevant substitutes/complements) by estimating different demand systems over different aggregation levels for fish and meat with an identical retail level household data set for the Canadian market.

Chinese Immigrants in Vancouver: Quo Vadis?

This article reports findings from a study carried out in Vancouver that examined the settlement and adaptation experiences of Chinese immigrants. The findings reveal that non-economic reasons such as the environment, education, and citizenship constituted the primary motivations for Chinese immigrants to move to Canada. Employment and language facilities were the most frequently cited barriers inhibiting their integration into the Vancouver social and economic spheres. Their poor economic performances, coupled with the devaluation of both their acquired Chinese educational qualifications and labour market experience, have hindered integration and increased dissatisfaction with their lives in Canada. Given the logic of our posited triangular migration model, we argue that this dissatisfaction will encourage Chinese emigration from Vancouver.Cet article présente les conclusions d’une étude effectuée à Vancouver et portant sur l’établissement et ládaptation des immigrants chinois. Les réesultate indiquent que ce sont surtout des raisons non économiques - l’environnement, ’éducation et la citoyenneté - qui ont poussé les immigrants chinois á venir au Canada. Le marché du travail et les ressources linguistiques figuraient parmi les facteurs les plus souvent évoqués comme obstacles à leur intégration aux milieux sociaux et économiques de Vancouver. Leurs faibles rendements économiques, conjuguées à la dépréciation de leur scolorité et leurs expériences professionnelles chinoises, ont nui à leur intégration tout en augmentant leur insatisfaction face à leur vie au Canada. Suivant la logique qui sous-tend notre modèle triangulaire de migration, nous maintenons que cette insatisfaction poussera la population chinoise à émigrer de Vancouver.

The Economics of Citizenship: A Common Intellectual Ground for Social Scientists?

Economists studying the economic behaviour of immigrants have tended to avoid serious interdisciplinary work. I argue that, when presented with a particular set of research questions that lend themselves to a utility maximisation framework, an economist will be able to pursue interdisciplinary work. I further argue that the necessary, if not sufficient, ingredient for true economic collaborative research is met in the field of citizenship acquisition. I review the empirical research on citizenship acquisition and its economic impacts to support this argument.

The immigration of Third World professionals to Canada: 1968-1973

Abstract In this paper we estimate a reduced form equation for highly skilled immigration to Canada during the period 1968–1973. The purported open immigration policy during this period implied that a relatively unregulated flow of immigrants came to Canada. We found to the contrary that the Third World immigrant flow was carefully regulated and responded significantly to four principal variables: the number of job vacancies by occupation, competing opportunities in the United States, the total flow of Third World immigrants and the number of movers from the country under consideration. The income variable never proved significant.

Triangular human capital flows between sending, entrepot and the rest of the world regions

A model of triangular movement of highly skilled immigrants between a sending country (China/India) to an entrepot country (Canada) and then possibly to the rest of the world is developed. The question of who stays or leaves after arrival in the entrepot country is considered. The acquisition of subsidized human capital and the ascension to citizenship by immigrants are argued to be key conditioners that reduce the probability of staying in the entrepot country. Finally, the model predicts if the best or the mediocre highly skilled stay or leave the entrepot country for the sending region or the rest of the world.

Immigration Policy: Methods of Economic Assessment

This article outlines a set of economic criteria to assess an immigrant-receiving countrys immigration policy from three perspectives. These three perspectives include the resident population, the immigrant, and the sending country viewpoints. An expanded version of Julian Simons financial transfer model, which includes employment and capital externalities, is developed to assess the efficacy of an immigration policy from the residents viewpoint. Next, Chiswicks earnings “catch-up” model is expanded in an employment dimension to create an assessment criterion for the resident immigrant population. Finally, a comprehensive reverse transfer criterion is outlined to provide an assessment criterion for sending regions. These criteria are then applied to selected European and North American immigrant receiving countries.

Canada's demand for Third World highly trained immigrants: 1976–86

Abstract Immigration to Canada, after a major policy change in 1978 which favored the family reunification class, has been dominated by Third World immigrants. These immigrants continue to be a significant source of highly trained individuals for Canada. Using an excess demand model to estimate the determinants of demand, this paper finds that the supply of domestic graduates, occupational income and the previous periods immigration level are major variables that influence Canadas demand for skilled immigrants. Thus, it is argued that the movement in these variables primarily guides Canadian immigration policy toward skilled immigrants.

The brain drain and income taxation: Canadian estimates

Abstract It has recently been proposed that a surfax be levied on the incomes of skilled immigrants from LDCs to DCs, with the proceeds used for developmental spending in LDCs. This paper presents estimates of the amounts which would have been collected by such a surfax in Canada in 1972 if it had been levied at a 10 per cent rate on disposable (after regular income taxes) income, assuming skilled immigrants were subject to the surtax for a period of ten years following immigration. Estimates of the elasticity of the response of immigrant flows to such a surtax are also presented.

The Size and Distribution of Human Capital Transfers from LDCs to Canada: 1966-1973

The authors examine the effects of Canadas post-1967 immigration policy. They investigate the size and value of migration from developing countries and its impact on the economy of Canada and on the supply of Canadian professional and technical manpower. They then attempt to determine whether Canadas foreign aid program has compensated the countries of origin for the loss of human capital (ANNOTATION)