A multiple indicators and multiple causes (MIMIC) model of immigrant settlement success

Laurence H Lester, National Institute of Labour Studies, Flinders University

This paper presents a model of immigrant successful settlement by an innovative adaptation of advanced latent variable modelling techniques that focus on the multidimensional aspects of immigrant successful settlement. The model, a linked Multiple Indicators and Multiple Causes (MIMIC) model, a special case of a longitudinal structural equation model (SEM), encompasses the influences of formative indicators on the unobservable latent variables “successful settlement”: the path of successful settlement is assessed through the impact on the reflective indicators of exogenous variables. As no well-documented explicit model of successful settlement exists, the devised statistical models provide the first comprehensive assessment of the immigrant settlement process. The inclusive method devised to consider the overall immigrant settlement success, provides the foundations to analyse, more comprehensively, Australia’s immigrant outcomes. The analysis can guide immigrant selection policies so immigrant targets are fulfilled in a constantly developing, competitive, global market for quality immigrants.