Respondents from Central/South American countries tend to have been in Canada longer than other groups; 82% arrived in 1992/93. As a result, these refugees have some of the highest rates of English-language knowledge, with only 5% indicating that they cannot speak English. Along with East Asians, respondents from Central/South America are the oldest, with an average age of 43.3 years for adults and 18.5 years for youth (15-21 years of age). They are more likely than other respondents to be living in smaller centres in Alberta (90%). None of these respondents have spent time in a refugee camp.
Adult refugees from this region report average levels of education upon arrival slightly lower than the total sample. About 29% report they did not have a high school diploma, while 27% completed their post-secondary education before they came to Canada. A large majority, (86%) indicate they held paying jobs in their home country and very few had no occupation prior to their arrival (14%). The majority of respondents from Central/South America worked as managers or professionals in their home country, while 20% were blue-collar labourers.