Over-education linked to greater injury risk among Canadian immigrants, study says

Hamilton, Ontario – Recent immigrants to Canada who are overly educated for their jobs are more likely to be injured than workers who are appropriately educated and have been in the country for some time, according to a new study from the School of Labour Studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

Researchers analyzed data from 2003 and 2005 Canadian Community Health Surveys to explore the relationship between education level and the risk of a work-related injury.

Recent immigrant men whose education exceeded their job’s requirements had a more than twofold increase in the odds of being injured when compared to non-recent immigrant men who were not over-educated, according to the study abstract.

Researchers suggested addressing the barriers to suitable employment for recent immigrants.

The study was published online July 9 in the journal Injury Prevention.