whole did not occur for economic immigrants. With respect to average OAS benefits,
immigrants in these categories reflected the same pattern seen in Figure A14 of the Appendix but
had benefits a bit higher.
Family immigrants had a pattern of incidence like that seen in Figure 14. Except, Parents and
Grandparents in the long-term and short-term elderly groups had higher incidence of OAS. With
respect to the average amount of benefits, Parents and Grandparents reported the same as the
average, while Other Family immigrants reported benefits a bit higher.
Refugees had incidence and benefits in line with the averages seen for the entire elderly
population. Retired immigrants had similar patterns but the short-term and long-term elders in
this category had slightly lower incidence from the 10-year mark and on.
Figure 16 displays the incidence of GIS/Allowance benefits for elderly immigrants in tax year
2000. The pattern of incidence for GIS/Allowance is much like that of OAS benefits. Nearly 10
percent of long-term elders reported GIS/Allowance benefits in the first year of observation. The
incidence of GIS/Allowance increased gradually through the 15-year mark and more rapidly
thereafter. At the 20-year mark the incidence of GIS/Allowance had reached 40 percent. Shortterm
elders had an incidence below 10 percent until the 10-year mark at which point it jumped to
35 percent. It continued to increase at a steady rate until the 16-year mark and remained fairly
constant at just over 80 percent thereafter. Similarly, immediate elders had incidence below 20
percent until the sharp increase to 65 percent at the 10-year mark. Shortly after the 10-year mark
incidence surpassed 80 percent and remained at that level through the 20-year mark.