The economic assimilation of European-origin immigrants is fairly rapi
d but selectively culture contingent; the economic assimilation of rac
ial minority immigrants is less rapid and less culture contingent Regr
ession analysis of survey data examines occupational status and earnin
gs effects of eight ethnic attachments among men and women in seven et
hnic and racial minorities in mainstream and enclave employment in Tor
onto (N = 1792), controlling for foreign and domestically acquired hum
an capital Assimilationist pressures that the survey showed to be wide
ly perceived may apply more to Europeans than to racial minorities. Ec
onomic assimilation is affected when 'foreignness'' is most pronounced
: very selectively for European immigrants and universally for racial
minorities treated as ''foreign,'' presumably based on skin color rega
rdless of specific culture, identity, behaviors, or network affiliatio
ns.