essay on immigration to canada

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Sample Essay On Immigration to Canada

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Government , Policy , Migration , Development , Canada , Politics , Immigration , Law

Published: 06/09/2021

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Immigration to Canada has undergone a lot of changes, these changes are in evolution due to the government efforts to try and ensure that there is a steady and regulated. The regulations are expected to ensure that there are no breaches in the country’s immigration policies. The changes in the immigration have been made to ensure that there are only competent professional who can acquire the relevant documentation in order to make entry in the country. Immigration to Canada has also been made to be specific about the amount of immigrants who can gain access into the country per year. Through this the government can regulate the entries and exits made by different immigrants in Canada over the years.

The previous immigration into Canada was a bit hustle free since there existed very few regulation that hindered people from making entry into the country. This is evident through the immigration records which indicate higher immigration rates in recent years (Belisle 58). The high immigration rate was due to the lack of significance, and the little follow-up that was made on immigration. The laws were quite lenient since there existed very few regulations and policies that people were expected to adhere to in order to make entry into Canada.

The regulations that were proven to be insignificant, this is due to the recorded increase of immigrants that was witnessed in the country. It is through this that there were a notable number of foreigners who had taken up residence and citizenship in the country. The change that followed was inevitable since an increase in population led to competition of the limited available resources (Walker 107). There were fewer job opportunities despite the already existing challenges of gaining employment. Through the hardships that the Canadian citizens had the challenges brought by these immigrants, there was a need for change in the immigration policies. The changes were to result to tougher immigration policies that would only facilitate genuine immigration. Through this, there would be little competition in resources where Canadian citizens would acquire equal opportunities to gain employment.

There exist different categories of immigrant in Canada. These classifications are made by; family, economical immigrants, other individuals who qualify to be immigrants and persons seeking refuge in the country. The classification for these different immigrants is made regarding their purpose of wanting to gain entry in the country. These categories are granted immigration into the country depending on their reason for seeking entry into the country. Immigration has been changed only to cater for mainly entries which may proof to be genuine or beneficial to the country.

Immigration into Canada has been mainly on the rise by individuals who are in pursuit of a better life. This is through individuals who may want to seek citizenship or work permit in order to pursue business ventures in the country. These entries are mainly done third world citizens who see the west as a region with great opportunities. This is what has contributed to the entries and requests for visa into the country (Kilbride, 62). The increase in immigration has been made evident through the high population of French-speaking towns that have developed in Canada, which are dominated over by mostly West African’s and other French-speaking foreigners. There has been a need to try and put an end to these frequent immigrations that have been on the rise through ensuring that there are tougher immigration policies in the country.

Through this the government aims at achieving it objectives which are controlling the immigration. Despite these tougher policies, there have also been an increase on illegal immigration through individuals who illegally make entry into the country (Simmons 93). There are also situations where people have failed to return to their country after their visas and work permits have expired. The need to try and limit this immigration has been fueled by leaders and other individuals who see the need to provide the opportunities that are being exploited to Canadian citizens. It is through this that there have been developed strategies aimed at closely monitoring the immigration in the country.

However, despite the regulations that have been put, it has been impossible to regulate immigration completely. This is because the government cannot be fully aware of the activities that individuals seeking entry to the country partake in. The government may also not be able to monitor the movements all individuals in the country. Thus, the immigration department has made emphasis to all citizens in Canada to make it their business to report illegal immigrants or immigrant who may be involved in criminal activities in the country. This will be efficient in ensuring that the government is in control of all entries being made into Canada. The changes in the immigration trend that has resulted to a decrease in the immigration rate compared to recent times can be noted. This is through the numerous changes that have been made in policies to try and ensure that the immigration is only made possible for people travelling under genuine reasons.

Works Cited

Belisle, Donica. Retail Nation: Department Stores and the Making of Modern Canada. Vancouver: UBC Press, 2011. Internet resource. Kilbride, Kenise M. Immigrant Integration: Research Implications for Future Policy. , 2014. Print. Simmons, Alan. Immigration and Canada: Global and Transnational Perspectives. Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press, 2010. Print. Walker, Barrington. The History of Immigration and Racism in Canada: Essential Readings. Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press, 2008. Print.

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What’s behind the dramatic shift in Canadian public opinion about immigration levels?

Vice Dean, Research & Community Relations, & Professor of Organizational Behaviour, Faculty of Business & Communication Studies, Mount Royal University

Disclosure statement

Leah Hamilton receives funding from SSHRC.

Mount Royal University provides funding as a member of The Conversation CA.

Mount Royal University provides funding as a member of The Conversation CA-FR.

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In June 2023, Canada’s population reached 40 million . For the first time in history, the population grew by more than a million (2.7 per cent) in a single year. Temporary and permanent migration accounted for 96 per cent of this population growth .

Over the past few decades, Canadians have been more positive than negative in their attitudes toward immigrants and immigration. In 2019, Canada was ranked the most accepting country for immigrants (in a survey of 145 countries) on Gallup’s Migrant Acceptance Index .

Over the last few years, Environics public opinion data also indicated Canadians felt very positively about immigrants and immigration levels.

Something changed in 2023.

A million newcomers in two years

A few months after reaching this population milestone, the federal government released its new Immigration Levels Plan to welcome 485,000 permanent residents in 2024 and 500,000 in 2025 and 2026.

This announcement came on the heels of an Environics public opinion survey revealing a significant increase in the number of Canadians who believe the country accepts too many immigrants. That marks a dramatic reversal from a year ago, when support for immigration levels stood at an all-time high.

Canadians are still more likely to disagree (51 per cent) than agree (44 per cent) that immigration levels are too high, but the gap between these views has shrunk over the past year, from 42 percentage points to just seven. That’s the biggest one-year change in opinion on this question since it was first asked by Environics in 1977.

Rising concerns about the number of arrivals are evident across Canada, but are most widely expressed in Ontario and British Columbia.

Environics has been surveying Canadians about immigration on a regular basis since 1977. The latest survey of more than 2,000 Canadians was conducted in September 2023 in partnership with the Century Initiative , a non-profit lobbying and charity group.

The survey was conducted to ensure representation by region, age, gender and educational attainment.

Apart from rising public concerns about immigration levels, there has been no corresponding change in how Canadians feel about immigrants themselves in terms of how they’re integrating and what they contribute to Canadian society.

The public is much more likely to say that newcomers make their own communities a better place than a worse one.

Housing crisis concerns

Importantly, the belief that immigration levels are too high is largely driven by perceptions that newcomers may be contributing to the housing crisis in terms of availability and affordability.

As researchers who study attitudes toward immigrants and immigration, we believe it is critical to pay attention to this shift.

There is a large body of research examining how perceived threat/competition predicts attitudes toward immigrants and immigration.

This research shows that negative attitudes toward immigrants can develop when situational factors — for example, housing shortages , inflationary pressures and a rise in anti-immigration ideologies — combine to create perceptions of group competition.

Perceived competition may be rooted in real or imagined national economic challenges, as well as beliefs about access to housing, employment and other resources.

In September 2023, when Environics conducted its latest survey, there was a lot of media coverage about the housing crisis , including the scapegoating of international students . It’s possible such coverage may have hardened some Canadians’ attitudes toward immigration levels.

In reality, Canada’s housing shortage was fuelled for decades by myriad factors, including municipal zoning laws, developers’ special interests and public policy on housing. As other scholars have argued, curbing migration is not a solution to this complex issue, nor is it moral.

Read more: Think curbing overseas migration will end the housing crisis? It won't – and we can't afford to do it

Attitudes towards immigrants may change

Policymakers and community leaders should pay close attention to public attitudes toward immigration levels as they strive to build a diversified and robust immigration system and create welcoming communities for immigrants .

The latest research demonstrates the public still feels positively toward immigrants and their many contributions to communities and Canadian society. However, there seems to be growing concerns about Canada’s capacity to effectively resettle immigrants, in part due to concerns that newcomers may be contributing to the housing crisis.

If Canadians continue to blame immigrants for the housing crisis, their attitudes toward immigrants themselves — as opposed to immigration levels — may harden. How Canadians feel about immigration levels may also impact the type and level of supports immigrants can access as they resettle, whether they experience discrimination in the housing and labour markets and whether they’re warmly welcomed by their communities.

Read more: Creating a welcoming and supportive environment helps immigrants better integrate

In order to ensure continued public support for immigration, it’s important for political leaders at all levels to address and counter perceptions of threat and competition over housing, jobs and other resources.

In addition to making critical public policy decisions to address Canada’s housing shortage, this will also require fair media coverage and representation of immigrants.

This article was co-authored by Keith Neuman, Senior Associate at Environics Institute for Survey Research.

• Immigration
• Affordable housing
• Public opinion
• Housing crisis
• Anti-immigration
• Housing shortage
• Canadian immigration
• Canadian immigration system
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Essay Sample on Immigration in Canada: Best College Paper Examples From PapersOwl blog

09 Jul 2019

In recent years immigration has become a strong topic for debate as according to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs in the report, International Migration Report Highlights, “The number of international migrants worldwide has continued to grow rapidly in recent years, reaching 258 million in 2017, up from 220 million in 2010 and 173 million in 200” (2017). The people who emigrate from their country to another usually do because they are looking for a better quality of life, either because their country isn’t as developed as others, or is in war, therefore it is insecure for living. The issue relies on whether a country should or should not accept foreigners in. This decision is based on the positive and negative effects newcomers have, which vary in each country. In this essay the way Canada has managed the immigration issue will be discussed, as they are known for being the country with the most open immigration policies.

Canada has dealt with immigrants from an economic view that benefits the country. In 1967 they developed the Point System for the three classes of immigration: Economic, family and refugees. What this policy does is that it sets standards to identify which immigrant is allowed to enter the country. According to Arthur Sweetman in Canada’s Immigration System: Lessons for Europe, “Part of the active management of immigration policy in Canada involves academic research, and consequently immigrant selection, settlement and long-term integration are more informed by academic research than is typical for other Canadian public policy issues” (277). Basically, they only accept immigrants based on their skill, what they can offer and if they can contribute to the country’s wealth. From my point of view, this is a really smart way to ensure that by welcoming foreigners the country will only prosper, as they only allow immigrants who are well educated and capable of working. Because of this, “Immigrants to Canada work harder, create more businesses and typically use fewer welfare dollars than do their native-born compatriots” (Tepperman). They are not only helping immigrants to have a better quality of life, but they are also helping their country to developed more economically. “In Canada, almost two-thirds of permanent visas last year were given for economic needs” (Zakaria). This only evidences their need to fill jobs. Moreover, because “about half of all Canadian immigrants arrive with a college degree” and they are well educated, they create business which contribute to their economic growth (Tepperman). Canada’s immigration policy has proven to be “a tremendous advantage in terms of future market outcomes” (Sweetman 284). For instance, Quebec providence relies mostly on immigrants for their economic growth, as Brahim Boudarbat and Gilles Grenier explain in their article Immigration in Quebec: Labour Market Integration and Contribution to Economic Growth, “Quebec and the rest of Canada will certainly continue to depend increasingly on immigration to provide the labour market with the workforce needed to operate effectively” that is because their native population doesn’t have the necessary skills to fulfill the market needs (14). “Two of the last three governors-general — Canada’s ceremonial heads of state — were born abroad (one in Haiti and one in Hong Kong), and the current cabinet has more Sikhs (four) than the cabinet of India” this proves the positive impacts that newcomers have in Society (Tepperman).

Canada does not only need immigrants for economic reasons, but also “The nation is sparsely populated, has a low birth rate, and needs immigrants for population growth” (Zakaria). As the country has a low birth rate, this means that the elderly population surpasses the younger. If the population doesn’t increase, the next generation will face a problem. Who would finance the living of the next elderly population? For this reason, Canada uses immigrants as a mean to grow their demographics. In fact, “Canada admitted more than 320,000 newcomers-the most on record. Canada boasts one of the highest per-capita immigration rates in the world” (Tepperman). Moreover, Canadians believed that immigration helps them to be a more diverse and multicultural country. “Recent polls show that . . . two thirds see multiculturalism as one of Canada’s key positive features” (Tepperman).

Canada needs immigrants, that's why they make sure to provide them the best environment by having a friendly policy towards them. The nation makes sure that children of newcomers have the same level of education as natives, “Immigrant children in Canada schools read at the same level as the native born” (Tepperman). “For adults, this [settlement services] includes language training, job search assistance and introductions to Canadian society” (Sweetman 283). This facilitates their adaptation process while working in Canada and serves as an incentive for immigrants to stay. Moreover, Canadian’s newcomers prove to be successful “Canadian immigrants are almost 20 percent more likely to own their own homes and 7 percent less likely to live in poverty than their American equivalents” (Tepperman).

Finally, Canada has proven to be a successful country regarding its immigration policies. In my opinion, they have known how to manage newcomers for their advantage in multiple ways. By the point system, they ensure that whoever enters their country has job skills, are well educated and are willing to work. Thanks to this, their economy is slowly growing. Moreover, new immigrants contribute with population growth, which they need as they have low birth rates.

Boudarbat, Brahim, and Gilles Grenier. “Immigration in Quebec: Labour Market Integration and Contribution to Economic Growth”. Canadian Ethnic Studies Journal, vol. 49 , no. 2,2017, pp.13-32. Galileo, URL: http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.mga.edu/eds/detail/detail?vid=8&sid=f95a03c7-869a-49e8-8e64-203ec0b98e1e%40sessionmgr4008&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=edsglr&AN=edsgcl.515601155. Accessed 28 Nov. 2018.

Sweetman, Arthur. “Canada’s Immigration System: Lessons for Europe?”. Intereconomics, vol. 52, no. 5, Sept. 2017, pp. 277-284. Galileo, DOI: 10.1007/s10272-017-0690-7. Accessed 28 Nov. 2018.

Tepperman, Jonathan. “Canada’s Ruthlessly Smart Immigration Policy”. New York times, June 2017. Brightspace, URL: https://mga.view.usg.edu/d2l/le/content/1699052/viewContent/27845841/View?ou=1699052. Accessed 28 Nov. 2018.

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2017).“International Migration Report 2017: Highlights”. URL: http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/publications/migrationreport/docs/MigrationReport2017_Highlights.pdf. Accessed 28 Nov. 2018.

Zakaria, Fareed. “Immigration Lessons for the U.S. From Around the World”. CNN, June 2012. Brightspace, URL: https://mga.view.usg.edu/d2l/le/content/1699052/viewContent/27843458/View?ou=1699052. Accessed 28 Nov. 2018.

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9 Good and Lucky: Explaining Canada’s Successful Immigration Policies

• Published: July 2022
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Canadian immigration policy is widely considered successful in terms of policy endurance, process, programs, and politics. Canada’s focus on the recruitment of economic immigrants has been successful in a programmatic sense, while also maintaining the support of key stakeholders, enabling process success, and addressing political debates, enhancing political success. Favouring resettlement over asylum in refugee policy has addressed concerns over the abuse of the immigration system, while maintaining the support of stakeholders that benefit from the policy’s innovative private sponsorship provisions. Effective policy design is, however, only part of the story. Three contingent factors also stand behind Canada’s successful immigration policy. First, Canada’s isolated geography limits flows of asylum seekers and other unwanted immigrants. Second, the substantial power vested in the federal executive branch has enabled Canadian governments to respond to flows of unwanted migrants quickly. Third, the unplanned interaction of immigration settlement patterns, citizenship policy, and Canada’s electoral system has helped sustain a pro-immigration consensus among Canada’s major political parties. The importance of contingent factors in the success of Canadian immigration policy limits its portability. Even where policy design can be imitated, Canada’s reliance on strong executive-led actions to limit unwanted migration raises normative concerns that problematize our understanding of success in immigration policy.

Canadian immigration policy is widely considered successful, with respect to McConnell’s (2010) criteria of endurance, process, programs, and politics. The major aims of Canadian immigration policy—responding to demographic and labour market needs, enabling family reunification, and meeting Canada’s international humanitarian obligations regarding refugees—have been in place since the Immigration Act of 1976, and continue to orient policy under the 2001 Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). With respect to process, Canadian governments have introduced and amended policies efficiently and effectively, with the support of key stakeholders. In the sphere of programs, Canadian governments have enacted policies that achieved their aims. In the estimation of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD):

Canada has the most carefully designed and longest-standing skilled migration system in the OECD. It is widely perceived as a benchmark for other countries, and its success is evidenced by good integration outcomes. Canada also boasts the largest share of highly educated immigrants in the OECD as well as high levels of public acceptance of migration. In addition, it is seen as an appealing country of destination for potential migrants. ( OECD, 2019 ).

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, referred to Canada’s refugee resettlement program as an ‘exemplary’ model worthy of emulation ( CBC Radio, 2016 ). In politics, Canada’s success in generating a broad consensus in support of expanding its immigration program, in an era in which immigration has become deeply politicized, has made it an object of intense scrutiny on the part of academics, journalists, international organizations, and foreign governments. A thriving literature has emerged, dedicated to pondering how Canada has managed to avoid the nativist surge all too common in other advanced liberal democracies ( Triadafilopoulos, 2021 ).

Canada’s successes in terms of immigration policy processes, programs, and politics are based on a combination of purposeful and contingent factors. Canada has been good, but it has also been lucky. Decisions taken in the late-1980s and early-1990s to focus immigration policy squarely on recruiting large numbers of well-educated, highly skilled economic immigrants were successful in a programmatic sense. Policymakers also maintained the support of key stakeholders, enabling process success, while addressing political debates, enhancing political success. Similarly, the decision to favour resettlement over asylum in refugee policy addressed concerns over the abuse of the immigration system, while maintaining the support of stakeholders that benefited from the policy’s innovative inclusion of private sponsorship provisions. Finally, Canada’s policy of official multiculturalism (see Chapter 10 by Banting in this volume) has also resulted in a public ideology supportive of immigration ( Bloemraad, 2012 ; Reitz, 2011 ).

Effective policy design is, however, only part of the story. Three contingent factors also stand behind Canada’s successful immigration policy. First, Canada’s isolated geography—akin to what Reese and Ye (2011) refer to as ‘place luck’—limits flows of asylum seekers and other unwanted immigrants. Second, the substantial power vested in the federal executive branch, and the de facto dominance of the federal government in immigration policy, has enabled Canadian governments to respond to flows of unplanned, unwanted migrants quickly ( Triadafilopoulos, 2013b ; Ellermann, 2021 ). The fact that both the 1976 Immigration Act and the IRPA are framework laws has further enabled the exercise of executive power and discretion. Third, the pro-immigration consensus among Canada’s major political parties is based on a fortuitous concatenation of immigration settlement patterns, citizenship policy, and Canada’s Single Member Plurality (SMP) electoral system ( Triadafilopoulos and Taylor, 2021 ; Taylor, 2021 ). The overwhelming majority of Canada’s immigrants settle in the most densely populated parts of the country, also home to the greatest concentration of federal electoral ridings. Canada’s efficient citizenship regime transforms almost all of them into enfranchised voters, whose electoral weight is amplified by Canada’s SMP electoral system. Pro-immigration positions are therefore in the interest of all major parties. 1

This chapter is organized as follows. It begins by tracing the development of Canada’s approach to immigration from the era of racial selection to adoption of the ‘points system’ in 1967, the Immigration Act of 1976, and IRPA in 2001, highlighting policymakers’ use of executive power to shift Canadian immigration policy in the 1980s and 1990s to privileging selected economic immigration. This allowed Canada to maintain its commitment to economic, family, and humanitarian/refugee immigration to further national interests, while defusing political conflict and generating public support. The chapter then surveys the evolution of Canada’s most important immigration and refugee programs. In doing so, the chapter notes the continued success of immigration policies in attracting economic immigrants, responding to changing labour market demands, and overcoming other challenges through innovative policies. Similarly, shifts in refugee policy, which have narrowed access to asylum seekers while adjusting resettlement programs to enhance the role of private sponsorship, are also highlighted. The chapter then turns to the politics of immigration and refugee policy, noting popular support and cross-party political consensus for a robust immigration system, and highlights the role of effective policy design, executive power, fortuitous geography, and other contingent factors that have contributed to this political success. The chapter concludes by reflecting on how the Canadian case speaks to the wider challenge of regulating international migration in liberal-democratic states. If success in immigration policy is premised on the effective use of executive power to develop efficient systems that privilege selected economic immigrants and effectively deter unwanted migrants, is ‘success’ compatible with fundamental standards of liberal justice and legitimacy? This dilemma is particularly acute with respect to process success. Immigration policy starkly highlights how satisfying the interests of political insiders (stakeholders, citizens) may involve diminishing those of outsiders (migrants) who lack standing or are otherwise disadvantaged and marginalized in policy deliberations.

From White Canada to the Canadian Model: Executive Power and Process Success

Immigration has always played an important role in Canada’s development. The National Policy, introduced by Canada’s federal government in 1878, included the promotion of immigration to stimulate domestic demand for goods and services and meet the labour needs of industry ( Kelley and Trebilcock, 2010 , 62–63). Using immigration policy to satisfy economic ends is thus not new. The standards used to select immigrants have, however, changed radically over the course of Canada’s history.

For most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Canada based its immigration admissions policies on racial criteria. Immigration policy was designed with an eye to maintaining Canada’s status as a ‘white man’s country’ ( Triadafilopoulos, 2004 ; Lake and Reynolds, 2008 ; Fitzgerald and Cook-Martín, 2014 ). In terms of occupational preferences, Canadian policy skewed heavily towards farmers, as immigration was aimed at facilitating western expansion and settlement ( Kelley and Trebilcock, 2010 , ch. 3).

Canada’s discriminatory immigration policies were challenged after World War II. The discrediting of scientific racism, emergence of a global human rights regime, and acceleration of the decolonization movement drove this process ( Triadafilopoulos, 2012 ; also see Thompson, 2020 ). Racially discriminatory immigration policies enacted before the war presented a problem for liberal democracies that had fought to defeat Nazism and advance the cause of human dignity. Emboldened by this shift in prevailing norms, aggrieved domestic constituencies, foreign governments, and international organizations vigorously challenged Canada’s discriminatory immigration policies ( Triadafilopoulos, 2012 ). Their pressure campaigns were effective. Changes to immigration policy in the 1950s granted some access to previously excluded groups ( Triadafilopoulos, 2012 ; Fitzgerald and Cook-Martín, 2014 ). In 1962, the Diefenbaker government publicly announced that Canada would no longer refer to race in its admissions decisions ( Simmons, 2010 , 73). This move was strengthened in 1967, with the introduction of the ‘points system’ ( Triadafilopoulos, 2013a ).

The points system established a standard set of measures for weighing applicants’ qualifications. Prospective immigrants received a score based on their age, education, training, occupational skill in demand, knowledge of English or French, relatives in Canada, arranged employment, and employment opportunities in area of destination. A personal assessment by an immigration officer was added to the tally. Applicants meeting the threshold set by the government (initially 50 assessment points) would be admitted as independent immigrants, and would enjoy the right to sponsor dependents as well as ‘nominated relatives’. The points system made human capital the principal criterion for determining the suitability of immigrants, universalizing immigrant admissions and aligning immigration policy with Canada’s transformation into an increasingly urban, industrialized society ( Simmons, 2010 , 76–77; Kelley and Trebilcock, 2010 , 360–362).

The elimination of racial considerations in immigration selection, through the Diefenbaker Progressive Conservative government’s 1962 statement on immigration policy and the Pearson Liberal government’s introduction of the points system in 1967, reflected the significant power and discretion of the executive branch ( Ellermann, 2021 ). Although the House of Commons and Senate were consulted, there was no formal parliamentary debate or vote on the points system. One of the most profound shifts in the history of Canadian public policy was enacted through a modification of existing regulations.

The changes to immigration policy introduced through the 1950s and 1960s were entrenched in the Immigration Act of 1976. In contrast to the process leading to the introduction of the points system, the government engaged in extensive consultations led by a Special Joint Committee of the Senate and the House of Commons. The inclusion of many of the Committee’s recommendations enhanced the legitimacy of the new law. The fundamental principles and objectives of Canadian immigration policy set out in the 1976 Immigration Act endure to this day. They include:

Promotion of economic, social, demographic, and cultural goals

Endorsement of family reunification

Fulfilment of Canada’s international obligations under the United Nations Convention and 1967 Protocol relating to refugees ( Knowles, 2007 , 169)

The Immigration Act defined three classes of immigrants: the economic class, selected through the points system; the family class, recruited through sponsorship by Canadian citizens and permanent residents; and the refugee class, which included individuals resettled by the Canadian state and authorized private sponsors, and individuals claiming asylum after arriving in Canada (‘in-land’ claimants/asylum seekers). The Immigration Act also called for the government to set an annual immigration target, determined through consultation with the provinces, and present an annual report to parliament summarizing yearly immigration planning. As with previous immigration acts, the detailed operation of Canada’s immigration system would be determined by regulations.

By the mid-1980s, the mix between economic and family class immigrants was skewed towards the latter ( Ellermann, 2021 , 217). Whereas family class immigrants accounted for 35 per cent of the total immigration intake in 1975, their share had grown to 55 per cent in 1983. Conversely, economic class immigrants had declined from 73 per cent of total admissions in 1971 to 31 per cent in 1983. These outcomes were due both to the expansive provisions governing sponsorship at the time of the enactment of the 1976 Act and wariness regarding the admission of economic immigrants during a period of relative economic decline. A decision was taken in 1982 to admit only individuals with arranged employment ( Green and Green, 1999 , 432).

Policymakers began to address this programmatic shortcoming in the economic/family class balance of immigrants from the mid-1980s onward. The Mulroney Progressive Conservative government increased immigration levels, from 84,000 in 1985 to 161,600 in 1988 and 191,600 in 1989 ( Statistics Canada, 2016 ). To increase the share of economic class immigrants, the prerequisite of arranged employment for economic class applicants was dropped in 1986 ( Green and Green, 1999 , 433) and programs aimed at attracting entrepreneurs and investors were introduced ( Simmons, 2010 , 79). The number of economic immigrants tripled between 1985 and 1989 ‘expanding the economic class relative significance from 31 to 47 per cent of total admissions’ ( Ellermann, 2021 , 222). The proportion of family class admissions was reduced by reallocating resources for processing family class applications to the administration of business and investor programs.

In 1990, the Mulroney Conservatives tabled a five-year plan calling for immigration to continue to rise to an annual intake of 250,000 individuals by 1995. Future immigration levels would remain at 250,000 per year, regardless of prevailing economic conditions; the longstanding ‘tap-on/tap-off’ approach, which tied economic immigration to the state of the economy, was abandoned. A 1992 report, Managing Immigration: A Framework for the 1990s , justified the decision to increase immigration levels independently of labour market conditions by pointing to Canada’s transition to a ‘globalized, highly competitive, knowledge-based economy’ ( Simmons, 2010 , 82–83). The report also called for further reductions to family class immigration. Policymakers obliged by reducing the age limit for sponsored children from 21 to 19 and eliminating sponsorship provisions for extended relatives. These moves shifted the mix of annual admissions: ‘By 1995 … the percentage of family immigrants had dropped from 50 percent in 1984, when Mulroney took office, to 36 percent’ ( Ellermann 2021 , 224).

The transition begun by the Mulroney Conservatives to an immigration program aimed squarely at attracting large numbers of highly skilled economic immigrants was completed by the Liberal governments of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin. By the late-1990s, political parties, civil servants and key stakeholders, most notably employers, agreed on the need for Canada’s immigration system to complement a labour market that prized flexibility. Their consensus reflected the influence of neoliberal ideas in the 1990s ( Abu-Laban and Gabriel, 2002 ). But there was more to the shift. Critics of immigration policy, led by the Reform Party, decried the size of family class admissions, arguing that too many sponsored immigrants lacked the tools needed to succeed in a knowledge-based economy. Elderly parents and grandparents and sponsored family members, more generally, were framed as unproductive consumers of welfare benefits ( Abu-Laban and Gabriel, 2002 , 63). The shift to an immigration program focused on the recruitment of highly skilled immigrants was aimed at defusing these criticisms.

The politics of immigration policy were also marked by controversy over asylum seekers. As a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, Canada was required to consider all applications for asylum made on Canadian territory ( Labman, 2019 , 35). This obligation was reinforced by the 1976 Immigration Act’s acknowledgement that Canada would fulfil its ‘international legal obligations with respect to refugees and … uphold its humanitarian tradition with respect to the displaced and persecuted’ ( Labman, 2019 , 40). As Shauna Labman has argued, there is an important distinction contained in this statement. Whereas Canada’s legal obligations under the Refugee Convention pertained to its treatment of asylum seekers who made a refugee claim upon landing in Canada, Canada’s ‘humanitarian tradition’ referred to a history of resettling refugees through discretionary acts of kindness, typically exercised in an ad hoc manner, and very much based on a degree of self-interest ( Labman, 2019 , 44).

Canadian governments elided this distinction for a brief time. Indeed, the UNHCR awarded Canada the Nansen Refugee Award for its contribution to the refugee cause in 1986, in response to Canada’s resettlement of over 60,000 Indochinese refugees between 1978 and 1982 ( Knowles, 2007 , 223). Changes in the dynamics of international migration in the late-1980s and 1990s forced Canadian policymakers to reconsider their approach to refugees. The low number of asylum claims in the 1970s rose steadily in the 1980s and precipitously in the 1990s. As the number of in-land asylum claims increased steeply, the adjudication system through which refugee status was extended came under intense pressure. By the end of 1988, the backlog of claims exceeded 100,000 ( Simmons, 2010 , 80). The Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Singh v Minister of Employment and Immigration (1985) exacerbated this challenge by mandating that asylum claimants in Canada were entitled to an oral hearing ( Simmons, 2010 , 80). The government established the Immigration and Refugee Review Board in 1988 to speed up the status determination process and reduce the backlog, which nevertheless remained persistently high. Indeed, asylum claims increased in the early-1990s with the end of the Cold War ( Keely, 2001 ).

Experts broadly agreed that the problems related to refugee status determination was a programmatic failing. Yet the asylum issue went well beyond programmatic concerns. The arrival of asylum seekers by boat, often with the assistance of human smugglers, generated intense media coverage and raised concerns about the integrity of Canada’s system of border control ( Labman, 2019 , 41). The Reform Party ‘raised the spectre of “illegal immigration” and “bogus refugees” to further demonstrate [its] contention that Canadian immigration policy and immigration regulations were too lax’ ( Abu-Laban and Gabriel, 2002 , 64).

Canadian governments responded to these criticisms with legislation to discourage refugees. After 173 asylum seekers arrived by boat off the coast of Nova Scotia in July 1987, the Mulroney government amended the Immigration Act to ‘deter refugee claimants, impose more stringent detention provisions, and expand inadmissibility provisions’ ( Kelley and Trebilcock, 2010 , 406). It also passed Bill C-86 in 1992 to (among other things) prohibit refugee claimants from ‘seeking employment until a final determination of their claim’ had been made ( Kelley and Trebilcock, 2010 , 408). When four ships containing some 600 migrants from China arrived on Canada’s shores in the summer of 1999, many of the immigrants, including children, were detained until their identities could be confirmed. Most of these individuals were returned to China, and only about 5 per cent of those who claimed refugee status were granted asylum or allowed to remain on a Minister’s Permit ( Kelley and Trebilcock, 2010 , 422).

By the end of the 1990s, the basic parameters of the Canadian model of immigration and refugee policy were in place. Immigration aimed first-and-foremost at meeting Canada’s economic needs through the recruitment of well-educated and highly skilled immigrants. While family class immigration would continue to be an important part of Canada’s immigration program, its standing as compared to economic migration was decidedly inferior. While Canada was obliged to consider claims for asylum by uninvited migrants that managed to gain a foothold in Canadian territory, measures would be taken to reduce their numbers and streamline the status determination process. Refugee policy would emphasize resettlement, which was also based on selection. These fundamental positions reflected prevailing ideas concerning competitiveness in a globalizing world, and the imperatives of security in a geostrategic environment marked by asymmetrical threats and transnational criminal organizations involved in human smuggling and trafficking ( Irvine, 2011 ). Henceforth, immigration policy would be primarily oriented towards enhancing Canadians’ prosperity and security.

These core components of Canada’s refugee policy were clear in the 2001 IRPA. Introducing the first version of the legislation to the House of Commons in April 2000, minister of immigration and citizenship, Elinor Caplan, described it as a ‘tough bill’ designed to enable the government to close ‘the back door to those who would abuse the system’ so as to ensure ‘that the front door will remain open … to genuine refugees and to the immigrants our country will need to grow and prosper in the years ahead’ (cited in Kelley and Trebilcock, 2010 , 425). While the IRPA maintained the 1976 Immigration Act’s three distinct immigration classes, its ‘skeletal’ structure enabled the government to continue favouring carefully selected economic immigrants as against family class immigrants and refugees. The IRPA established a broad framework for immigration policymaking, ‘leaving the details to the executive to design and implement through regulation, with minimal parliamentary scrutiny’ ( Kelley and Trebilcock, 2010 , 425).

Assessing the Program Success of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Policies

Robust admissions and striking diversity.

Canada has succeeded in attracting high numbers of immigrants. Annual admissions averaged 250,000 through the 1990s and early 2000s, regardless of the state of the economy ( Statistics Canada, 2016 ). Immigration levels have increased since the 2015 election, from 296,368 in 2016 to 336,499 in 2019 ( Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 2019 , 2020 ). The Trudeau government’s current targets call for 401,000 immigrants to be admitted in 2021, 411,000 in 2022, and 421,000 in 2023 ( Harris, 2020 ). Canadian immigration levels have remained robust despite the disruptions prompted by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the 2008–9 global economic crisis, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Canada’s foreign-born population increased from 17.4 per cent in 1996 to 21.9 per cent in 2016. Based on projections by Statistics Canada, this figure could rise to 30 per cent by 2036 ( Statistics Canada, 2017 ). The combination of immigrants and second-generation individuals (the children of immigrants) could climb to half of Canada’s total population in the same timeframe.

Canada’s decision to eliminate racial criteria from its immigrant selection system significantly shifted the source regions of the country’s immigrants. Whereas the vast majority of immigrants hailed from Europe until the introduction of the points system in 1967, by 2016, 48.1 per cent of Canada’s foreign-born population was born in Asia, as against 27.7 per cent born in Europe ( Statistics Canada, 2016 ). The top five source countries in 2017 were India, the Philippines, the People’s Republic of China, Syria, and the United States of America ( Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 2017 ). Canada’s visible minority population—those individuals neither white nor Indigenous—increased from 4.7 per cent in 1981 to 22.3 per cent in 2016. This figure is estimated to increase to 35.9 per cent in 2036.

Adapting Economic Immigration Policies to Meet New Demands

As Canadian decision-makers intended, annual admissions since the early-2000s have skewed heavily towards economic immigrants. In 2019, 196,658 of Canada’s 336,499 immigrants (58.4 per cent) were in the economic class ( Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees Canada, 2020 ). The Trudeau government’s most recent targets aim to have economic immigrants make up 60 per cent of total annual admissions ( Harris, 2020 ). Family class immigrants presently account for a little more than a quarter of annual admissions ( Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees, Canada 2020 ).

The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) has been a key part of Canada’s immigration system since the 1970s. Through the late-1990s and early-2000s, the FSWP favoured the admission of immigrants with advanced degrees, professional designations, and extensive foreign work experience ( Reitz, 2004 ). Paradoxically, these immigrants experienced worrying rates of unemployment and falling earnings relative to native-born Canadians and previous immigrant cohorts, despite having satisfied more stringent admissions requirements ( Boyd, 2013 ; Hawthorne, 2013 ). The FSWP, which traditionally operated on a first-come-first-served basis, was also beset by backlogs, with applicants typically waiting several years to have their cases decided.

The Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper sought to address these problems through several reforms. One, among the most important, was the introduction of ‘two-step’ immigration programs: certain classes of Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) and international students could convert their temporary status to permanent residency ( Hennebry, 2010 , 62–67). Two-step immigration was pursued through the retooling of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and creation of the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). A second improved the outcomes of the FSWP by introducing the Express Entry system.

The PNP, introduced by the Liberals in 1995, aimed to assist low-immigrant provinces by enabling them to select a limited number of economic immigrants in accordance with their demographic and labour market needs ( Banting, 2010 , 9). This process began with Manitoba in 1998 and, by 2007, all the provinces (with the exception of Québec) and two of Canada’s three northern territories had enacted PNP agreements ( Banting, 2012 , 88–89). Québec had already been granted extensive power to select immigrants through the 1978 Cullen-Couture Agreement and the 1991 Canada-Québec Accord ( Kelley and Trebilcock, 2010 , 387–388). Although immigrant admissions under PNP began modestly, by 2019 they constituted over a third of total economic immigration ( Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 2019 , 2020 ).

The PNP became a central component of Canada’s economic immigration system due to the expansion of TFW migration under the Conservative Harper governments ( Foster, 2012 ). The PNP enables the provinces to satisfy regional labour needs by nominating TFWs, including lower skilled TFWs who would otherwise not satisfy the conditions of the FSWP. The CEC also plays a role in this regard, as it allows international students and highly skilled TFWs with Canadian work experience and a job to convert their temporary status to permanent residency.

The Express Entry System also gives employers a more prominent role in selecting immigrants ( Triadafilopoulos, 2015 ). Applicants submit a ‘preliminary expression of interest’ for admission under the FSWP and the CEC, and are screened through a points-based system. Successful candidates apply for permanent residency and applications are processed within six months. The Express Entry System’s success in broadening the range of candidates for admission under the economic class, and eliminating application backlogs, has contributed to its durability.

Canada’s economic immigration programs are considered effective, legitimate, and innovative. However, some recent changes have raised concerns. While expanding two-step migration has benefited provinces and employers, its longer term consequences are unclear. All immigrants admitted through traditional one-step measures qualify for settlement assistance upon landing in Canada (Andrew, 2011; Banting, 2012 ). Between 2000 and 2015, the share of economic class migrants admitted under one-step measures fell from 90 to 40 per cent ( Ellermann, 2019 , 154–155). Conversely, economic immigrants initially arriving as TFWs or international students only qualify for settlement assistance after they become permanent residents. Whether this discrepancy in access to settlement assistance leads to shortfalls in the integration outcomes of immigrants selected through two-step programs is an open question.

The introduction of the Express Entry system came at some cost to process. Tens of thousands of applications received under the previous system and languishing in the backlog were returned without processing, despite applicants having waited several years for a decision on their file ( Levitz, 2012 ). In a cruel irony, the cost of resolving the backlog problem was paid for by those that had been its chief victims.

Refugee Policy: Program Success in Restricting Asylum and Adapting Resettlement

Canada’s refugee system is made up of two parts: the In-Canada Asylum Program and the Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement Program. The asylum program provides protection to people in Canada unable or unwilling to return to their home country because they have a well-founded fear of persecution (as per the Refugee Convention) or are at risk of torture, or cruel or unusual punishment (as per the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment). Successful claimants receive Convention refugee status or are deemed a ‘person in need of protection’ (in cases that fall under the UN Convention on Torture) and are eligible to apply for permanent residency. Failed claimants receive a conditional removal order and must leave Canada within 30 days of their decision. However, rejected claimants may seek a stay of removal and apply for leave for judicial review; apply for a temporary resident permit; apply for a pre-removal risk assessment; apply for permanent residency on humanitarian and compassionate grounds; appeal their decision to the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD); or seek judicial review through the Federal Court.

Asylum policy has long generated political controversy. Public dissatisfaction has tended to spike during periods when groups of asylum seekers have landed in Canada without prearranged authorization, usually by boat. These events have raised public concern that the complex system of rules and procedures in place to protect the rights of refugees are being exploited by economic migrants, who would otherwise not qualify for admission to Canada. Immigration officials share these concerns. The immigration officials Sandy Irvine interviewed in 2005 and 2006 also believed that ‘an overly fair refugee determination system, too many opportunities to appeal decisions, and long delays in processing claims [made] the Canadian system more susceptible to abuse’ ( Irvine, 2011 , 186).

Recent changes in Canada’s asylum policies have been undertaken with the aim of assuaging these worries by demonstrating Canada’s commitment to the Refugee Convention but also to mitigating potential abuse of the system. In March 2010, less than six months after two ships carrying Tamil migrants landed off the coast of British Columbia, the Harper government introduced Bill C-11, the Balanced Refugee Reform Act. An amended version of the bill was passed by the House and Senate in June 2010. In August of 2010, a second ship carrying Tamil migrants landed in British Columbia. Before the ship had even anchored, a spokesperson for Citizenship and Immigration Canada promised Canadians that the government was committed to ‘cracking down on bogus refugees, while providing protection to those that truly need our help’ (cited in Labman, 2019 , 48). In October 2010, the government introduced Bill C-49, the Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada’s Immigration System Act ( Labman, 2019 , 49). The bill, which died on the order paper when the 2011 election was called, was reintroduced after the Conservatives won a new mandate in a majority parliament. Bill C-31, the Protecting Canada’s Immigration System Act came into effect on 28 June 2012.

According to the rules in place since 2012, asylum seekers arriving from ‘designated countries of origin’ (DCOs) that generally do not produce refugees have their applications decided on a fast-track basis. Refugees who arrive in a group of two or more fall under the ‘irregular arrivals’ category and are termed ‘designated foreign nationals’ (DFNs) ( Labman, 2019 , 49). They may be detained while their applications are considered and cannot appeal if their claims are rejected. Even when they receive Convention refugee status, DFNs face a ‘five-year suspension before being eligible to apply for permanent residency, temporary residency, or permanent residency on humanitarian and compassionate grounds’ ( Labman, 2019 , 50).

Asylum claims fell between 2012 and 2016 but rose sharply in 2017 and 2018, as a result of changes to immigration and refugee policies in the United States. Many asylum seekers in the United States crossed the Canada-US land border irregularly, bypassing official points of entry in order to avoid being sent back under the terms of the 2002 Canada-US Safe Third Country Agreement (which holds that asylum seekers must make their claim in the country of first arrival) ( Macklin, 2004 ). As in the past, the entry of irregular migrants drew significant press attention, raising concerns regarding the Canadian government’s ability to control its borders ( Angus Reid, 2018 ; Boyd and Ly, 2021 ).

The Trudeau government introduced legislation to check the flow of asylum seekers in its 2019 omnibus budget bill. Changes included an amendment to the IRPA ‘denying refugee claimants the right to a hearing if they ever sought asylum in any country “holding information sharing agreements” with Canada’ ( Boyd and Ly 2021 ). The budget also included ‘substantial funding for enhanced law enforcement’ and a ‘comprehensive Border Enforcement Strategy to “better detect and intercept individuals who cross Canadian borders irregularly and who try to exploit Canada’s immigration system ”’ ( Boyd and Ly 2021 , emphasis added).

Whereas asylum seekers select Canada as a potential site of refuge, Canada’s Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement Program endows the Canadian state and authorized private sponsors with the power to decide who merits sanctuary. Government Assisted Refugees (GARs) are referred by the UNHCR and already meet the conditions of the Refugee Convention. The Government of Canada facilitates their travel to Canada, grants them permanent residency upon arrival, and covers the costs of their resettlement for one year. GARs are entitled to services such as orientation sessions and life skills training through the Resettlement Assistance Program ( Elgersma, 2015 ). After their first year in Canada, all resettled refugees are eligible for means-tested government social programs.

Privately Sponsored Refugees (PSRs) are sponsored by groups of private individuals in Canada. Private Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs) are organizations that have a signed agreement with the Canadian government to sponsor a refugee or refugees, or to assist other sponsoring ‘constituent groups’ with their applications. Faith-based organizations play an outsized role in private sponsorship, accounting for 75 per cent of SAHs (Hyndman, Payne and Jiminez, 2017, 58). Refugees can also be sponsored by ‘Groups of Five’, whereby five or more Canadian citizens and/or permanent residents, who demonstrate their financial means and sponsorship ability, enter into an agreement to support a refugee or refugees. Private sponsors provide settlement assistance to the refugees under their care for one year.

While annual admissions to Canada’s refugee resettlement program have remained relatively stable over the past twenty years, the share of resettled refugees falling under private sponsorship has increased significantly. The 2012 federal budget shifted 1,000 refugees from the GAR program to private sponsorship and created the Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) Program. BVOR matches Convention refugees identified by the UNHCR with private sponsors in Canada, splitting settlement costs over one year between the government and private sponsors ( Labman, 2019 , 56). PSRs have outnumbered GARs since 2017. In 2019, 19,130 PSRs were resettled in Canada, as against 9,940 GARs and 990 refugees falling under the BVOR program ( Martani, 2021 , 3).

How might we judge the success of Canada’s refugee programs? On the one hand, Canada has emerged as the world’s top resettlement country (in terms of refugee numbers), surpassing the United States in 2018 ( Radford and Connor, 2019 ). Canada’s unique system of private sponsorship has also been applauded and efforts are underway to ‘export’ it ( Smith, 2020 ). Canadian governments refer to their records in resettlement to demonstrate that they consistently meet their humanitarian obligations to refugees.

On the other hand, Canada’s contribution to meeting the needs of the world’s refugees is paltry. Refugees account for the lowest share of annual immigration admissions. Even in 2016, which featured a one-time expansion of Canada’s resettlement program to fulfil a Liberal Party election pledge to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees, refugees accounted for less than 16 per cent of Canada’s total immigration admissions. Of the 58,435 refugees admitted to Canada in 2016, 79.3 per cent came through resettlement programs; barely one fifth came through the asylum program (Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees Canada, 2017).

Even if Canada’s commitment to settling 30,000 refugees per year places it atop the resettlement standings, it is a modest gesture in a world in which the UNHCR designates approximately one million refugees in urgent need of resettlement ( Lenard 2021 ). Nonetheless, Canadian governments have successfully cast their refugee resettlement policies as evidence of their willingness to assist the ‘truly’ desperate. Resettlement provides a useful means of satisfying domestic humanitarian groups (that benefit from private sponsorship) while deflecting attention away from Canada’s stingy asylum policies.

An Exceptional Country? Success in the Politics of Immigration Policy

Canadian success in immigration policy is most conspicuous when we consider politics. Canadians expressed the most positive view on immigration in the Pew Research Center’s 2018 Global Attitudes Survey ( Gonzalez-Barrera and Connor, 2019 , 3). Public opinion has become more supportive of immigration over time ( Banting and Soroka, 2020 ). The 2020 iteration of the Environics Institute for Survey Research’s long-running ‘Focus Canada’ survey found that ‘strong and increasing majorities of Canadians express comfort with current immigration levels, see immigrants as good for the Canadian economy … and believe that immigration is essential to building the country’s population … By a five-to-one margin, the public believes immigration makes Canada a better country’ ( Environics, 2020 ).

Support for immigration extends beyond public opinion to include the media, business and labour organizations, and civil society more broadly. Most remarkably, all three of Canada’s major political parties agree on the fundamental features of Canada’s immigration system. Anti-immigrant campaigns are rare. The People’s Party of Canada’s attempt to politicize immigration in the 2019 federal election ended with the party polling under 2 per cent and its leader, Maxime Bernier, losing his seat in the House of Commons ( Ling, 2019 ).

Support for Canada’s immigration policy is based in part on Canadian governments’ long standing efforts to highlight its beneficial effects. As Daniel Hiebert (2016 , 5) has noted, ‘framing immigration in economic terms and presenting it as a solution to the nation’s problems has led to a mutually reinforcing set of outcomes: Canadians expect immigration to be coordinated with economic need and, as a result, they have typically supported immigration mainly when it is aligned with economic concerns.’ Multiculturalism policy has played a complementary role, encouraging the development of a national identity that ‘embraces immigration, diversity, and tolerance’ ( Bloemraad, 2012 , 8).

The flipside of this emphasis on coordination and openness is the rigorous suppression of uncoordinated and unselected migration. Canadian governments have benefited from Canada’s distinctive geography in this regard: ‘that Canada has no direct land connection to less developed nations and that it is separated from them by very wide oceans helps explain why fewer unauthorized immigrants enter Canada’ ( Simmons, 2010 , 105). Those who make it to Canada confront a gauntlet of measures devised since the late-1980s to limit their numbers. Substantive executive power, aided by legislation that facilitates discretion, enables Canadian governments to quickly respond to challenges as they arise.

Cross-party consensus on the benefits of managed immigration rests on the contingent interplay of immigrant settlement patterns, an efficient citizenship regime, and Canada’s SMP electoral system. Over 70 per cent of Canada’s foreign-born population has settled in the provinces of Ontario, British Columbia, and Québec, concentrated in and around the cities of Toronto, Vancouver, and Montréal ( Triadafilopoulos and Taylor, 2021 , 25). At the same time, 38 per cent of Canada’s federal electoral ridings are located in the greater Toronto, Vancouver, and Montréal regions. Immigrants make up a substantial proportion of the population in a considerable number of federal electoral ridings ( Griffith, 2017 ).

Canada’s liberal and highly efficient citizenship regime quickly transforms immigrants into voters. Canada’s citizenship acquisition rate has long stood at or above 80 per cent ( Xu and Golah, 2015 , ii). The 2011 National Household Survey found that Ontario ‘had the largest eligible immigrant population and the highest proportion of immigrants who had obtained citizenship (87.0 Percent)’. Québec’s and British Columbia’s proportions of eligible immigrants who had obtained citizenship stood at 85.1 and 84.3 per cent, respectively ( Statistics Canada, 2013 , 4).

As Alan Cairns (1968) has pointed out, Canada’s SMP electoral system rewards regionally concentrated support while heavily discounting territorially dispersed support. SMP systems reward winning parties and punish losers, regardless of the difference in vote share. Small swings in the vote preferences of regionally concentrated groups can translate into large swings in the seat counts of competing parties, particularly when those groups are concentrated in areas with a significant share of competitive seats ( Linzer, 2012 ). Immigration since the 1990s has amplified this basic effect of the electoral system ( Westlake, 2018 ; Taylor, 2021 ). The growth and concentration of immigrant and visible minority voters in urban Canada, generally, and the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA), in particular, has transformed these ridings into electoral battlegrounds that no party interested in governing can afford to ignore. Consequently, Canadian parties have avoided politicizing immigration during and between elections.

Canada’s immigration policies meet the standard of success in terms of endurance, process, programs, and politics. The fundamental principles underlying Canadian immigration policy have been in place since the passage of the 1976 Immigration Act and, despite changes in emphasis, remain the pillars of the 2001 IRPA. With regard to process, Canadian governments have taken advantage of the significant power and discretion at their disposal to quickly adapt policies to address administrative and political shortcomings. These moves have been supported by key stakeholders and buttressed by the support of the Canadian public. In terms of programs, Canada’s system of managed immigration focuses on the recruitment of economic immigrants, while meeting its obligations with respect to family sponsorship. Canada also maintains its commitment to the Refugee Convention but has narrowed access to asylum seekers, while emphasizing its more popular resettlement programs. Political support for immigration has steadily increased since the mid-1990s, as reflected in ever more positive public opinion and consensus among Canada’s major political parties on the benefits of a selective system of managed immigration. While populist anti-immigration politics is present in Canada, it remains marginal.

Canada’s success in immigration policy has been based on a combination of effective design, executive power, and contingent factors. As other countries cannot move into better neighbourhoods or easily change their electoral systems, the range of ‘lessons’ to be learned from Canada is limited to policy design and techniques of policymaking. With respect to policies, there has been a noteworthy turn to managed migration policies along Canadian lines in Britain, Germany, and other European countries ( Triadafilopoulos, 2013b ). Even former American president Donald Trump, perhaps the world’s most infamous nativist, spoke favourably of Canada’s selective immigration policies ( Kwong, 2019 ).

Other jurisdictions have also followed Canada’s lead in terms of process. Unwanted flows of unselected migrants are dealt with quickly, often through rights-restrictive measures. This is evident in Australia’s move to ‘off-shore’ its asylum system ( Castles, Vasta, and Ozkul, 2014 ), the radical cuts to refugee admissions in the United States ( Waslin, 2020 ), and ongoing efforts in Europe, at the national and supranational levels, to strictly police asylum through a bewildering array of rapidly proliferating initiatives ( Geddes, 2018 ). Interventions along these lines are defended with reference to enabling the efficient administration of immigration systems and maintaining the political support of fickle publics wary of uncontrolled migration.

These trends raise deeper questions: do managed migration policies that enjoy the support of democratic publics require the vigorous exercise of coercive state power to quickly plug gaps and preserve the smooth functioning of administrative systems? If so, how can successful policy processes be reconciled with basic human rights and due process? Canada has demonstrated that the strictures imposed by the Refugee Convention and domestic law do not advance the interests of asylum seekers very far. If democratic politics pulls governments towards drawing ever sharper distinctions between wanted and unwanted immigrants, what countervailing forces will check this trend? To what degree can a world of effective and successfully managed immigration be legitimate, in terms of fundamental standards of justice?

The Canadian case suggests that success in immigration policy comes at a cost. Yet, even McConnell’s relatively nuanced approach to determining policy success, failure, and the ‘grey areas in-between’ has difficulty registering such costs. Indeed, ‘a successful policy that achieves the goals its proponents set out’ with little in the way of criticism and ‘virtually universal support’ may still be open to question on normative grounds ( McConnell, 2010 , 351). This is especially true with regard to how ‘process’ is conceptualized in McConnell’s framework. Given their status as aliens without presence (let alone standing) in Canadian politics, migrants’ positions on policies that directly affect them have generally not been taken into consideration. As Arash Abizadeh (2008 , 37–38) has noted, this is true of immigration policy as a rule: ‘According to the state sovereignty view—the dominant ideology of the contemporary interstate system—entry policy ought to be under the unilateral discretion of (the members of) the state itself, and whatever justification is required for a particular entry policy is simply owed to members: foreigners are owed no justification and so should have no control over a state’s entry policy.’ Indeed, it is not hard to see how process success might require limiting the range of opinions included in policy deliberations. In a representative democracy, satisfying the demands of stakeholders and voters necessarily comes before attending to the interests of outsiders. While this failure of the ‘all affected’ principal ( Koenig-Archibugi, 2017 ) is starkest with respect to immigration policy, it is also relevant in other policy areas where insiders enjoy a marked advantage in terms of advancing their positions in political deliberations and outsiders’ voices are either muted or ignored altogether. This suggests that determinations of policy success and failure must be careful to consider the interests of all affected parties, especially those that are easily neglected by policymakers and academics.

Acknowledgements

I thank Keith Banting, Grace Skogstad, Paul ‘t Hart, Rob Vipond, and an anonymous reviewer for their very helpful comments on earlier drafts of this chapter. Thanks also to Michael Howlett, Evert A. Lindquist, and Geneviève Tellier.

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Triadafilopoulos, T.   2013 a. “Dismantling White Canada: Race, Rights, and the Origins of the Points Sytem.” In Wanted and Welcome? Policies for Highly Skilled Immigrants in Comparative Perspective , edited by T. Triadafilopoulos , pp. 15–38. New York: Springer.

Triadafilopoulos, T. (ed). 2013 b. Wanted and Welcome? Policies for Highly Skilled Immigrants in Comparative Perspective . New York: Springer.

Triadafilopoulos, T.   2015 . “Fairness in einem klassischen Einwanderungsland—erfahrungen aus Kanada.” In Migration gerecht gestalten. Weltweit Impulse für einen fairen Wettbewerb um Fachkräfte , edited by B. Stiftung , pp. 181–190. Gütersloh: Verlag Bertelsmann Stiftung.

Triadafilopoulos, T.   2019 . “ Germany’s Post-2015 Immigration Dilemmas. ” Current History 118 (806): pp. 108–113.

Triadafilopoulos, T.   2021 . “ The Foundations, Limits, and Consequences of Immigration Exceptionalism in Canada. ” American Review of Canadian Studies 51 (1): pp. 3–17.

Triadafilopoulos, T. and Z. Taylor . 2021 . “The Political Foundations of Canadian Exceptionalism in Immigration Policy.” In International Affairs and Canadian Migration Policy , edited by Y. Samy and H. Duncan , pp. 13–40. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Waslin, M.   2020 . “ The Use of Executive Orders and Proclamations to Create Immigration Policy: Trump in Historical Perspective. ” Journal on Migration and Human Security 8 (1): pp. 54–67.

Westlake, D.   2018 . “ Multiculturalism, Political Parties, and the Conflicting Pressures of Ethnic Minorities and Far-Right Parties. ” Party Politics 24 (4): pp. 421–433.

White, S. , N. Nevitte , A. Blais , J. Everitt , P. Fournier , and E. Gidengil . 2006. “Making Up for Lost Time: Immigrant Voter Turnout in Canada.” Electoral Insight. December. https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=eim/issue19&document=p3&lang=e

Xu, L. and P. Golah . 2015 . Citizenship Acquisition in Canada: An Overview Based on Census 1986 to 2006 . Ottawa: Citizenship and Immigration. http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2016/ircc/Ci4-146-2015-eng.pdf

Consensus on pro-immigration positions is the norm for provincial politics as well, with the conspicuous exception of Québec, where parties have competed to demonstrate their willingness to uphold secularism by imposing limits on religious expression ( Laxer, 2019 ). That being said, Québec continues to welcome a significant number of immigrants every year; none of Québec’s major political parties comes near to expressing the sorts of anti-immigration positions that have become sadly normal in Western Europe and the United States ( Joppke, 2021 ).

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Moving to Canada was harder than I thought. I'm not sure I'd do it again

My husband was a banker in pakistan. in canada, the only job he could get initially was installing carpets.

Social Sharing

This First Person article is the experience of Misbah Noor who lives in Calgary. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please  see the FAQ .

I believe there's a light at the end of every dark tunnel, but it took years to find it after we moved to Canada.

My husband and I moved to Calgary with two children — ages five and two — in 2015. We started looking for jobs immediately and were full of hope because my husband had been a branch manager at a renowned bank in Pakistan. But we were in for a shock. The only job he could find to start was installing carpet.  

After just a week of work, he looked exhausted and said, "When I was climbing the stairs of our apartment building, I was wishing for a house without a staircase. My legs are so sore." 

The next morning, he changed again into his work clothes, which were torn and shabby at his knees. His black shirt was faded from being washed every day. His hands were full of cracks from the dust and dryness at work.

"I can't even stand on my feet today," he said.

He left and I sat with my cup of tea. All I could think was: Why are we here? 

We were not happy. We lived in a small apartment with little furniture and missed our family and friends back home. Every day we worried about what the next day would bring.

Moving to another country gives you a different picture of life and changes you into a new person. My brother applied to come to Canada on my behalf back in 2008 when I was still single. I was excited to move, happy to do the required language tests and gather the many documents.

But it took a long time — seven years before we finally got the permanent resident visa in the mail. In the meantime, I got married and had two kids.

I was still eager to come to Canada, hoping for better job opportunities, higher salaries and a brighter future for the kids. But now that we had young children, the struggle to get re-established was way bigger than we had anticipated.

After I finished my tea, I started looking for work desperately. I have a master's in education but filling out online job applications was new for me and every job I found required Canadian work experience.

It was life with constant stress.

I am normally shy but I started talking to strangers — people in my building, parents in my children's school, people at the library. I asked them how to get a job here. They would leave me with a link to some recruiting companies and websites I could not understand.

I desperately wanted to work so my husband could go back to school - Misbah Noor

I lost almost 22 pounds due to stress and ate less to save money. I desperately wanted to work so my husband could go back to school and get a good job. But neither of us had any luck.

He interviewed for a financial adviser position at a bank, and then paid $1,200 to a private company to try to become a transit operator. But each time the hiring managers kept refusing him, saying "your English is not good" or "you don't have Canadian studies or work experience."

We felt disappointed and worthless. Canadian officials accepted us because of our education. Our documents were attested to so many times in the process, we thought that our degrees would be valued here. We were wrong.

Finally after two-and-a-half years, I caught a break. My son came home from school one day and told me a lunchroom supervisor was leaving.

I hurried to meet the principal. I told her about my degree and teaching experience back home. After listening to my struggle patiently, she told me how to apply. She guided me through the whole process, from making an account for the job application to structuring my resume to answer the job requirements.

I got that part-time job. Then my husband got a job as a forklift operator in an oil and gas supply warehouse that had better hours and easier on his body than carpet installation. We still couldn't afford to have him upgrade his degree at school, so I took a two-year course to become an education assistant. Then finally, six years after we first moved, he landed a position as a pricing analyst in oil and gas without upgrading.

Those early days were so uncertain. I remember the day he called after getting the pricing analyst job. I was crying with joy, hugging my kids and so thankful to God. I believed this would be the end of our hardship and stress. As we shopped together for his dress shirts, pants and shoes, I pushed back my tears.

• First Person My art — and my life — was dark and surreal. Then I moved to Canada
• First Person Relationships are complicated. I learned it's OK to keep secrets for a time

In January, I started working as an education assistant and we bought a house where my kids can jump, run and play freely.

But the stress of the past seven years had lasting effects. After going through so much, I still feel tired and anxious over everyday problems. I feel like my memory was affected by chronic stress, and my husband now has high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. We believe this is also connected. This is the price we paid to get to the place where we are now.

In the end, we have found financial stability and made our home in Canada. So this is a story of moving from disappointment to hope, deception to knowledge, failure to success and nervousness to confidence. But if I could go back in time, I would think twice before immigrating. It's harder than we thought.

Telling your story

CBC Calgary is running a series of in-person writing workshops across the city to support community members telling their own stories. This is a First Person column from a workshop hosted by the Genesis Centre. To find out more about our writing workshops or to propose a community organization to help host,  email CBC producer Elise Stolte  or visit  cbc.ca/tellingyourstory .

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Freelance contributor

Misbah Noor is a mother who lives in Calgary. She has a master's in education, was an elementary school teacher in Pakistan and immigrated to Canada in 2015. She enjoys gardening, baking and spending time with her family.

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• First Person My arms ache to hug my son back in China. Growing microgreens gives me hope
• First Person A real estate transaction gave me neighbours. A car crash taught me to value them
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Immigration to Canada

Article by Harold Troper

Updated by Maude-Emmanuelle Lambert; Clayton Ma

Published Online April 22, 2013

Last Edited October 26, 2022

The movement of individuals of one country into another for the purpose of resettlement is central to Canadian history. The story of Canadian immigration is not one of orderly population growth; instead, it has been — and remains one — about economic development as well as Canadian attitudes and values. It has often been unashamedly economically self-serving and ethnically or racially discriminatory despite contributing to creating a multicultural society ( see Immigration Policy in Canada ; Refugees to Canada ). Immigration has also contributed to dispossessing Indigenous peoples of their ancestral lands.

Immigration to New France (16th–18th Century)

Throughout the 17th and much of the 18th century, European colonial administrations, charged with overseeing what would become Canada, did not consider settlement a priority. French or British governments initially seemed unprepared to expend vast quantities of money or energy necessary to encourage settlement. Nor was migration to Canada popular in France or Britain. Adventurers, explorers, and particularly traders acting for British or French interests feared the interference of settlers in the lucrative trade ( see Fur Trade ).

However, policy eventually changed and colonial authorities carefully and slowly encouraged settlement in Canada. It was their hope that settlers would guarantee the sovereignty of colonial land claims and exploit natural resources — often on behalf of European investors. It was also hoped that the settlers would convert Indigenous peoples to Christianity. Settlements grew gradually but not without difficulty. New France 's population at the time of the British Conquest (1759–60) was about 65,000. In Nova Scotia , a transplanted Scottish community was supplemented by German and Swiss settlers. In the late 1700s, Irish settlers reinforced Newfoundland 's population.

Although the British victory limited migration from France ( see also French Immigration in Canada ), it did not immediately bring about a large number of English-speaking immigrants. Except for a handful of British administrators, military personnel, and merchants who filled the vacuum left by their departing French counterparts, few English-speaking settlers seemed interested in Canada. Indeed, it is doubtful whether settlers would have been welcomed by the new British administrators. The latter feared that an influx of English-speaking Protestant settlers would complicate administration in a recently conquered Roman Catholic French-speaking territory. Most British migrants were far more inclined to seek out the more temperate climate and familiar social institutions of the American colonies south of Canada.

Loyalist Immigration (18th–19th Century)

Many of Quebec 's new British rulers were soon forced to accept many thousands of English-speaking and largely Protestant settlers displaced by the American Revolution. Known as United Empire Loyalists , they were largely political refugees . Many of them migrated northward not by choice but because they had to. Many either did not wish to become citizens of the new American republic or because they feared retribution for their public support of the British. For these Loyalists, Canada was a land of second choice, as it would be for countless future immigrants who came because to remain at home was undesirable, and entry elsewhere, often the US, was restricted.

Loyalist migration was supported by Canadian authorities who offered supplies to the new settlers and organized the distribution of land. Despite the hardships the settlers endured, their plight was made less severe by the intervention of government agents, a practice to be repeated in Canada many times.

Many Black Loyalists also left the United States for British North America. Despite having sided with the British during the American War of Independence, Black Loyalists faced racist hostility and considerable inequality. Despite this, they persevered and built strong communities, particularly in towns like Shelburne and Birchtown in Nova Scotia. ( See also The Arrival of Black Loyalists in Nova Scotia .)

Irish Immigration (19th Century)

Throughout the mid-19th century, the colonies — Canada West in particular — returned to a pattern of painfully slow and erratic economic growth. Officially encouraged immigration from Britain and even the US gradually filled the better agricultural lands in the colony and bolstered new commercial or administrative towns. The new immigrants were generally similar to that of the established community. However, the great Irish potato famine and, to a lesser degree, a series of abortive European rebellions in 1848 sent new immigrant cohorts to North America.

Of these tens of thousands migrants, many were Irish whose arrival in Canada initiated major social and economic changes. In many respects, the Irish were Canada's first major cohort of overseas immigrants after the English and French. Although the Irish generally spoke English, they did not mirror the social, cultural or religious values of Anglo-Canadians. They formed a Roman Catholic minority in a predominantly Protestant Canada-West. Irish Catholics were, however, a bit more at home with French Canadians who shared their faith but not their language. Many of these Irish migrants’ loyalty to the British Crown also appeared suspect in a Canada where ardent loyalty was demanded as insurance against the threat of American republicanism.

After escaping an agrarian life where agriculture was synonymous with poverty and dependency, some of the famine-stricken Irish had little or no enthusiasm for farm life ( see History of Agriculture ). Instead, the Irish worked seasonally in the newly expanded canal system, lumber industry , and burgeoning railway network . Due to their less fortunate social-economic status as well as their distinct ethnic and religious identities, separate Irish neighbourhoods popped up in Canadian cities and larger towns.

Western Migration (19th–Early 20th Century)

With a relatively low death rate, high birthrate, and small but continual migration from the British Isles, the immediate post- Confederation era had its overpopulation problems ( see Population ). This issue was further compounded by the increasing rarity of farmable land.

Meanwhile, the US — with its seemingly boundless supply of free, fertile land — attracted thousands of new immigrants and Anglo-Canadians. American industry attracted many French Canadians were to work in the factories of New England ( see Franco-Americans ).

Towards the late 19th century, Canada's future Prairie provinces were opened to settlement, but only after — sometimes violently — displacing First Nations and Métis peoples off their lands. ( See also North-West Rebellion .) However, large scale migration only picked up when the need for agriculture products like wheat also increased.

The demand for farm goods, especially hard wheat, coincided with the election of Wilfrid Laurier 's government, which encouraged western settlement with large-scale immigration. Canada's new minister of the interior, Clifford Sifton , organized a revamped and far-reaching immigration program. He was even prepared, if not reluctantly, to admit agricultural settlers from places other than the British Isles, Northern Europe, and the US. Sifton’s willingness to open immigration outside of traditional sources was not, however, reflective of Canadian immigration policy .

For English-speaking Canadians, the traditional definition of ideal immigrants may have been modified but was not radically altered. The Canadian government preferred white English-speaking migrants from within the British Empire and from the US. At the same time, non-white migrants were denied entrance on racist grounds. The ideal immigrants were British or American independent farmers who would settle in the West.

Pressed by business and railway interests to increase immigration, immigration authorities balanced their ethnic anxieties against a frantic search for settlers. They listed ideal settlers in a descending preference. British and American agriculturalists were followed by French, Belgians , Dutch , Scandinavians, Swiss , Finns , Russians , Austro-Hungarians ( see Austrians ; Hungarians ), Germans , Ukrainians , and Poles . Close to the bottom of the list came those who were, in both the public and the government's minds, less assimilable and less desirable, e.g., Italians , South Slavs, Greeks and Syrians ( see Arab Canadians ). At the very bottom came Jews , Asians, Roma people, and Black people .

Ottawa, however, did not have the only voice when it came to immigration. The British North America Act also gave the provinces a voice in immigration if they chose to do so. Quebec was particularly interested in doing so and set up its own immigration department. This was partly in response to the expansion of English-speaking Canada and in an effort to stem, if not reverse, the migration of rural Quebec youth to New England. In co-operation with federal authorities, immigration agents were sent into New England to encourage French Canadians to return home to settle new but marginal agricultural lands. The program was met with only limited success, but Quebec's involvement in managing its own immigration priorities continued.

Migrants and Urban Centres

In spite of government precautions, not all immigrants committed themselves to resource exploitation or agriculture. Like the Irish before them, many non-English speaking and largely non-Protestant immigrants rejected a life of rural isolation, choosing to work in cities. Furthermore, many of these migrants only saw themselves as living in Canada or North America temporarily. Some sought to earn enough money to buy a piece of land at home, to assemble a dowry for a sister, or to pay off a family debt. However, the many who adopted North American definitions of success or who were unable to return home because of political upheavals established themselves in Canada. If possible, they brought their wives and children to join them.

Migrants of increasingly diverse origins started migrating to Canada, these included Macedonians , Russians, Finns, and Chinese people. Many of these new migrants had been allowed into Canada to satisfy the need for cheap labour or a pool of skilled craftsmen for factory or construction work. Some worked in mining or lumbering, others like the Chinese worked to finish the Canadian Pacific Railway . Many settled in the major cities like Montreal , Winnipeg , Toronto , Hamilton , and Vancouver . However, these immigrants were confronted by ethnic and religious anxieties and prejudices previously only reserved for the Irish .

The arrival of migrants from drastically different cultural backgrounds generated some racist hostility from many Canadians. Some Canadians responded with a dignified tolerance. They recognized that these foreigners were here to stay, that their labour and skills were necessary, and that their living conditions were subject to improvement. Immigrants played vital economic role in urban centres — laying streetcar tracks, labouring in the expanding textile factories and digging the sewer systems. Yet, many Canadians nonetheless demanded a stricter control on immigration along ethnic or racial lines.

Immigration and Racism

Canadian immigration policy and administration had bowed to economic necessity by allowing some migrants into Canada. However, it only did so reluctantly. Soon enough, restrictive immigration controls were put in place to stop immigration along ethnic and racial lines.

Chinese migration was particularly targeted. Measures like the Chinese head tax , landing taxes, bilateral restriction agreements, and travel restrictions virtually prohibited Chinese immigration into Canada. ( See also Chinese Immigration Act .) Canadian authorities also refused to allow the settlement of female Chinese immigrants. The government feared this would encourage Chinese men, who were temporarily in Canada as railway or mine labourers, to settle down permanently. There were widespread racist fears of a supposed "yellow peril" that would endanger Canadian society’s moral fabric.

In 1914, almost 400 Indian migrants aboard the ship Komagata Maru languished in Vancouver harbour while Canadian authorities debated what to do with them. Despite being subjects of the British Empire, the passengers had exposed Canada’s racist restrictions imposed on South Asian migration. Canada's new navy, in action for the first time, escorted the ship from Canadian waters while many Vancouver residents cheered approvingly from shore. Many of the passengers would be later killed when back in India

During the First World War , anti-German hysteria erupted in Canada. This xenophobic hostility was largely directed against those with ties to enemy countries. Although foreigners with links to countries allied to Canada were also targeted. Despite Canadian military manpower needs, British and Canadian authorities alike felt that, where possible, foreigners belonged in foreign armies. Groups such as Italians, Serbians , Poles, and some Jews were encouraged to return to the armies of their mother country or were recruited into specific British army units reserved for allied foreigners of various origins. Without national armies of their own to join, many Jews, Macedonians, and Ukrainians volunteered for the Canadian Army .

In 1910–1911, rumours spread that a group of Black people was preparing to migrate to central Alberta. Descendants of previously enslaved people, they were being pushed from their lands in Oklahoma territory, where they had been granted holdings and hoped to build new lives.

Public and political response in Alberta was immediate and predictable. Federal authorities initiated an ingeniously simple scheme. Nothing in the Immigration Act specifically barred Black Americans, but any immigrant could effectively be denied access to Canada for health reasons under the Act's medical provisions. The government merely instructed immigration inspectors and their medical aides along the American border to reject all Blacks as unfit for admission on medical grounds. There was no appeal. Blacks were warned they should not waste their time and money by considering immigration to Canada. ( See also Order-in-Council P.C. 1911–1324 .)

As a result of the devastating economic collapse caused by the Great Depression , the government's approach to immigration hardened. Immigration authorities switched to actively preventing migration into Canada. By 1933, Hitler ruled Germany, and millions of political opponents and Jews might have survived if Canada or other countries had offered innocent victims a home. Although many Canadians responded to the refugees with a mixture of sympathy for their desperate plight and embarrassment at the lack of government aid, others, including the federal Cabinet, many in the diplomatic corps, and immigration policymakers, reacted with alarm to any pressure to accept Jews or political refugees escaping Germany. As a result, few refugees were able to get around Canadian immigration restrictions. ( See also MS. St. Louis .)

Dismantling Racial and Ethnic Barriers

At war's end in 1945, Canadian immigration regulations remained unchanged from the restrictive pre-war years. Yet change was not long in coming. Driven by a postwar economic boom, growing job market, and a resulting demand for labour, Canada gradually re-opened its doors to European immigration. Initially, to immigrants Canada traditionally preferred — those from the United Kingdom and Western Europe — but eventually to the rest of Europe as well. However, with the onset of the Cold War, immigration from Eastern Europe came to a halt. Borders to the west were closed by the Soviet Union and its allies. However, large numbers of immigrants entered Canada from southern Europe, particularly Italy, Greece and Portugal.

Unlike immigration from previous decades, postwar immigration was not streamed exclusively into agricultural or rural-based resource extractive industries. Canada emerged from the Second World War as an urban, industrial power, and many postwar immigrants soon filled jobs in the manufacturing and construction sectors. Some helped expand city infrastructure while others — like the better-educated immigrants — met the strong demand for trained and skilled professionals.

Canadian immigration underwent other dramatic changes in the postwar years. Canadian governments, federal and provincial, slowly yielded to pressure for human rights reform from an earlier generation of immigrants and their children. Increasingly middle class and politically active, the now well-integrated immigrants had sacrificed in common cause with other Canadians in the war effort; as such, in the postwar era, they refused to assume second-class status in a country they had helped protect. Supported by like-minded Canadians, they denounced the ethnic and racial discrimination against them and demanded human rights reform. They forced governments to legislate against discrimination on account of race, religion, and origin in such areas as employment, accommodation and education. And, just as Canada was making discrimination illegal at home, the government moved to gradually eliminate racial, religious or ethnic barriers to Canadian immigration.

By the late 1960s, overt racial discrimination in immigration policy was gone from Canadian immigration legislation and regulations. This opened Canada's doors to many of those who would previously have been rejected as being “undesirable” on the basis of race or ethnicity. In 1971, for the first time in Canadian history, the majority of those immigrating into Canada were of non-European ancestry. This has been the case every year since.

Immigration Point System

That does not mean that anyone who wishes to enter Canada may do so. While restrictions on account of race or national origin are gone, Canada still maintains strict criteria for determining who is and who is not a desirable candidate for Canadian entry. In the late 1960s, Canada introduced a point system to set merit-based standards for individuals applying to immigrate to Canada.

Under this system, each applicant is awarded points for age, education, ability to speak English or French, and demand for that particular applicant's job skills. If an applicant was in good health and of good character in addition to scoring enough points, they were granted admission together with their spouse and dependent children. Those who did not score enough points were denied admission. More recently, Canada has modified its procedures to give preference to the admission of independent, skilled, and immediately employable immigrants.

Once established in Canada, most new arrivals — now called a "landed immigrant" — receive all the rights of a Canadian citizen except notably the right to vote . After a specified number of years of residing in Canada (currently three years out of five), each landed immigrant may apply for Canadian citizenship. In addition, landed immigrants, like Canadian citizens, may also apply to sponsor the admission to Canada of close family members who might not otherwise be able to satisfy stringent Canadian admission criteria. The sponsor must agree to ensure anyone brought into Canada will not become an economic burden to Canadian society. For many years, sponsored families of those already in Canada were the single largest group of those admitted into Canada. ( See Family Reunification in Canada .)

Refugee Migration After 1945

Since the end of the Second World War , refugees and others dispossessed by war and violence have become a significant part of Canada's immigration flow. In the postwar labour shortage, Canada admitted tens of thousands of displaced persons. Many had been made homeless by the war or who, at war's end, found themselves outside of their country of citizenship, to which they refused to return. Among the displaced persons were Jewish Holocaust survivors who had no community or family to which they could return. Other displaced persons refused repatriation back to countries which had fallen under Soviet domination. Many resettled in Canada, where they built new lives.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Canada also responded to the plight of refugees from other countries that were under dictatorships. In the aftermath of the unsuccessful Hungarian uprising of 1956 and the crushing of political reform in Czechoslovakia by the Soviet Union in 1968, refugees fled westward. Canada responded by setting aside its normal immigration procedures to admit its share of refugees. In the years that followed, Canada again made special allowance for refugees from political upheavals in Uganda, Chile and elsewhere. ( See also Latin Americans .) In each of these cases, the refugees were admitted as an exception to the immigration regulations and without following all of the usual immigration procedures.

In 1978, Canada enacted a new Immigration Act that, for the first time, affirmed Canada's commitment to the resettlement of refugees from oppression. Namely, individuals who have a well-founded fear of persecution in their country of citizenship. Accordingly, refugees would no longer be admitted to Canada as an exception to immigration regulations. Admission of refugees was now part of Canadian immigration law and regulations. But refugee admission has remained controversial and difficult to administer. ( See also Canadian Refugee Policy .)

The first major refugee resettlement program under this new legislation was during the early 1980s, when Canada led the Western world in its welcome to Southeast Asian refugees and particularly those from Vietnam , often referred to as the "boat people." Many of the boat people were selected from among those who escaped Vietnam in tiny boats and eventually found themselves confined to refugee camps in Thailand or Hong Kong awaiting permanent homes. ( See also Canadian Response to the “Boat People” Refugee Crisis .)

Some people seeking protection are not selected by immigration officials, but instead come to Canada to apply for refugee status. These “asylum seekers” sometimes arrived to Canada after disembarking from flights between Eastern Europe and Cuba that land to refuel in Gander, Newfoundland. Many of them sought to escape the horror of war and persecution in Central America, Africa, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and China to seek sanctuary in Canada. Once in Canada, asylum seekers must prove to Canadian officials that they were are being persecuted in their homeland. If refugee status is granted, they may stay in Canada; otherwise, claimants may be deported.

Immigration in the Late 20th Century

In the 1980s, the number of those entering Canada and applying for refugee status grew, and the Canadian determination process was hard-pressed to process applicants quickly. Nor were refugee claimants universally welcomed by Canadians. Some Canadians worried that many of the refugee claimants were not really legitimate refugees but individuals looking for a way around tough Canadian immigration regulations.

The refugee issue was dramatically brought home to Canadians in the late 1980s, when two ships illegally stranded their respective cargoes of Sikh ( see Sikhism ) and Tamil refugee claimants on Canada's east coast. Amid greatly exaggerated fears that Canada was about to be “flooded” with refugees, Parliament and immigration authorities began tightening refugee regulations and procedures. The result has been a continual streamlining or hardening of the Canadian refugee determination process. Canadian authorities have also been working closely with other countries and transportation companies to make it more difficult for individuals who might make a refugee claim to reach Canada. Some Canadians are concerned that these changes mean that some legitimate refugees are now being denied sanctuary they are entitled to under international law.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, even as it was seeking to forestall the entry of would-be refugee claimants, Canada opened new avenues for other immigrants with employable skills or significant financial resources. Beginning during the Conservative government of Brian Mulroney , those with capital or skills necessary to invest and start businesses within Canada were invited to apply for Canadian immigration. The idea was that these initiatives would help create employment and wealth in Canada.

As a result, the number of entrepreneurial or business immigrants rose dramatically, reaching 6 per cent of all immigrants entering Canada. A good number of entrepreneurial-class immigrants came from Hong Kong, many seeking a safe harbour for themselves, their families, and their assets in advance of the Chinese takeover of Hong Kong in 1997. It was natural that many should respond to Canada's invitation and the opportunities offered for capital investment in Canada. As a result, Canada became a prime destination for Hong Kong and other Chinese immigration and for capital in flight. Between 1981 and 1983, Chinese immigrants invested $1.1 billion in the Canadian economy. Hong Kong and other Chinese immigration has been especially pronounced in larger urban areas such as Vancouver and Toronto, where the Chinese community now constitutes the largest immigrant group. However, most of these entrepreneurial-class immigrants did not arrive speaking English or French, and this prompted the Canadian government to introduce tougher language requirements for those coming to Canada.

Immigration from Africa (mainly from South Africa, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, and Nigeria) also grew in the 1980s and 1990s. Some of these newcomers were professionals with academic qualifications seeking better working conditions in Canada. The vast majority, however, were refugees fleeing war, famine, and political and economic instability in their countries of origin.

With the economic slowdown of the 1990s, Canadian immigration re-emerged as a topic of public debate. This was only natural, given the continuing impact of immigration on Canadian society. While many economists argue that Canada, with its relatively low birth rate and aging population, needs the infusion of population, energy, skills, capital and buying power that immigrants bring to Canada. Some continue to harbour doubts, however.

With immigrants of non-European origin making up a large majority of those entering Canada, some Canadians have expressed uneasiness at the changing character of urban Canada. However, many of these prejudices towards Canadians of other ethnic and racial origins often tend to be exaggerated and harm minority communities.

Public debate on immigration in Canada has remained civil and has certainly been free of the kind of violence that the arrival of large numbers of immigrants has provoked in France and Germany.

Canadian Immigration since 11 September 2001

As a direct consequence of the events of 11 September 2001, the terrorist threat, and security issues, Canada has tightened its immigration policy. ( See also 9/11 and Canada .) In 2002, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) was passed. The new law replaced the 1976 Immigration Act . It notably made immigration into Canada harder, including for refugees. However, the Act did also make it easier for people in common-law or same-sex relationships to enter Canada.

Canada’s harsher stance on refugee migration was reflected in how it treated Tamil asylum seekers in 2009­–2010. Seen as “bogus” refugees, many were imprisoned despite being legitimate refugees. Many Canadians reacted similarly to asylum seekers performing irregular crossings of the US-Canada border to seek protection in Canada. ( See also Canada-United States Safe Third Country Agreement .) This was despite the fact that it is an internationally recognized human right to claim asylum in another country.

These attitudes stood in stark contrast to the Canadian response to the Syrian refugee crisis . Between 2015 and 2017, Canada rapidly resettled 54,000 Syrian refugees. While this number was greater than the US’, Canada’s contribution paled in comparison to other countries like Germany, Lebanon, Turkey, and Sweden.

Modern-Day Immigration to Canada

Canada receives a considerable number of immigrants every year. From 2001 to 2014, an average of around 249,500 landed immigrants settled in Canada every year. In 2015, more than 271,800 migrants were admitted while this number increased to over 296,300 in 2016.

Between 2016 and 2021, Canada welcomed a bit over 1.3 million immigrants. Census data from 2021 shows that migrants from India, the Philippines and China were the three most numerous groups of recent immigrants arriving in Canada. Around 18.6 per cent of recent immigrants were born in India, 11.4 per cent in the Philippines and 8.9 per cent in China. ( See South Asian Canadians ; Filipino Canadians ; Chinese Canadians .) Other major groups of immigrants originated from Syria (4.8 per cent), Nigeria (3 per cent), the United States (3 per cent), Pakistan (2.7 per cent), France (2 per cent), Iran (1.9 per cent) and the United Kingdom (1.7 per cent).

Take the quiz! Test your knowledge of multiculturalism in Canada by taking this quiz , offered by the Citizenship Challenge! A program of Historica Canada, the Citizenship Challenge invites Canadians to test their national knowledge by taking a mock citizenship exam , as well as other themed quizzes.

The vast majority of newcomers (88.7 per cent) settled in four provinces: Ontario (44 per cent), Quebec (15.3 per cent), British Columbia (14.9 per cent) and Alberta (14.5 per cent). Most of them also live in these provinces’ major urban centres like Toronto (29.5 per cent), Montreal (12.2 per cent) and Vancouver (11.7 per cent). These three cities alone receive over half of all recent immigrants. Although, this percentage has gone down as immigrants settled in other urban centres.

According to the 2021 census, Canadians originally born outside of Canada made up 23 per cent (8.3 million people) of the Canadian population ― a record-high proportion since 1921. Canada has the highest proportion of immigrants among G7 countries. ( See Canada and the G7 .)

Modern Canada was built on the migration and contributions of many immigrant groups, beginning with the first French settlers, through newcomers from the United Kingdom, Central Europe, the Caribbean and Africa, to immigrants from Asia and the Middle East. While the challenges posed by racism and discrimination remain, Canadian society remains generally open to immigration. Moreover, many immigrants’ contribution to Canadian society and desire to help build a better society on Canadian soil is beyond dispute.

• immigration
• Citizenship

Further Reading

• Christopher G. Anderson, Canadian Liberalism and the Politics of Border Control , 1867-1967 (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2013).
• Donald H. Avery, Reluctant Host: Canada's Response to Immigrant Workers, 1896-1994 (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1995).
• Marilyn Barber, Les domestiques immigrantes au Canada (Ottawa: Société historique du Canada, 1991).
• David Carment and David Jay Bercuson, The World in Canada: Diaspora, Demography, and Domestic Politics (Montréal and Kingston, McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2008).
• Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Forging Our Legacy: Canadian Citizenship and Immigration, 1900–1977 .
• Gerald E. Dirks, Canada's Refugee Policy : Indifference or Opportunism? (Montréal et Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 1977).
• Ninette Kelley and Michael J. Trebilcock, The Making of the Mosaic: A History of Canadian Immigration Policy (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2010).
• Valerie Knowles, Forging our Legacy: Canadian Citizenship and Immigration, 1900-1977 (Ottawa: Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2000) and Strangers at Our Gates: Canadian Immigration and Immigration Policy, 1540-2006 (Toronto: Dundurn, 2007).
• Micheline Labelle et al., Immigration, diversité et sécurité (Québec: Presses de l’Université du Québec, 2009).
• Jamie Chai Yun Liew and Donald Galloway, Immigration Law , 2nd ed. (Toronto: Irwin Law, 2015).
• Harold Troper, Only Farmers Need Apply (Toronto: Griffin House, 1972) and, with R. Hurney, Immigrants: A Portrait of the Urban Experience (Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1975).
• Barrington Walker, The History of Immigration and Racism in Canada: Esssential Readings (Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press, 2008).
• Theresa Wallace, Le rôle des transports dans l’immigration au Canada de 1900 à 2000 (Ottawa: Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada, 2001).
• Reginald Whitaker, Double Standard: The Secret History of Canadian Immigration (Lester & Orpen Dennys, 1987).

External Links

Immigration, Diversité et Inclusion Québec Website for Immigration, Diversité et Inclusion Québec.

PASSAGES TO CANADA Immigrants to Canada from around the world have encountered many hardships, opportunities, and successes as they set out to establish a better life for themselves and their families in their adopted country. Listen to some of their personal stories at the "Passages to Canada" website. From Historica Canada.

ASIA/CANADA This beautifully illustrated site explores the relationship between East and West from earliest times to the present with a focus on the very complex Asian experience in Canada. Search for specific topics and themes. From Historica Canada.

Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 The website for a museum devoted to history of Pier 21 in Halifax, once the primary point of entry for immigration to Canada. Check out the virtual exhibits, lesson plans, and online copies of "The Passport" newsletter.

Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Website for the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

Associated Collections

Immigration and the communities of canada, recommended, immigration policy in canada, canadian refugee policy, refugees to canada, economic immigration to canada, family reunification in canada, multiculturalism in canada.

Apr 10, 2023

How To Write Essays About Immigration (With Examples)

Immigrants bring diverse perspectives and skills that can enrich our societies and economies. If you want to gain insight into the impact of immigration on society and culture, keep reading!

Immigration, a subject deeply woven into the fabric of global discussions, touches on political, economic, and social nuances. As globalization propels many to seek new horizons, understanding the multifaceted impacts of migration is crucial. Crafting a compelling essay on such a vast topic requires more than just research; it demands the delicate weaving of insights into a coherent narrative. For those keen on delivering a polished essay on immigration, considering assistance from a reliable essay writing tool can be a game-changer. This tool not only refines the craft of writing but ensures your perspectives on immigration are articulated with clarity and precision.

Here are our Top 5 Essay Examples and Ideas about Immigration:

The economic impact of immigration on host countries, introduction.

In many nations, immigration has been a hotly debated issue, with supporters and opponents disputing how it would affect the home nation. The economic impact of immigration on host countries is one of the essential components of this discussion. Immigration's economic effects may be favorable or harmful, depending on many circumstances.

This article will examine the economic effects of immigration on the receiving nations, examining both the advantages and disadvantages that immigration may have. You will better know how immigration impacts a nation's economy and the variables that influence it after this article.

Immigration's effects on labor markets

An essential component of the total economic impact of immigration is how it affects labor markets. Immigration may affect labor markets, including shifting labor supply and demand, opening new job possibilities, and perhaps affecting local employees' earnings and prospects. This section will examine how immigration affects labor markets in receiving nations.

The shift in the labor supply is one of immigration's most apparent effects on labor markets. When more employees are available in the host nation due to immigration, there may be more competition for open positions. In fields that serve immigrant populations, such as ethnic food shops or language schools, immigrants can also generate new jobs.

Another significant impact of immigration on labor markets is its effect on wages and income distribution. Some studies have suggested that immigration can reduce wages for native workers, particularly those who are less educated or have lower skill levels. 

Immigrants can also contribute to economic growth and innovation, which can positively impact labor markets. Immigrants often have unique skills, experiences, and perspectives that can help drive innovation and create new job opportunities in the host country. Furthermore, immigrants are often more entrepreneurial and more likely to start businesses, which can generate new jobs and contribute to economic growth.

The effect of immigration on wages and income distribution

The effect of immigration on wages and income distribution is a crucial area of concern in the overall economic impact of immigration. Immigration can affect wages and income distribution in various ways, which can have significant implications for both native workers and immigrants. In this section, we will explore the effect of immigration on wages and income distribution in host countries.

One of the primary ways that immigration can impact wages and income distribution is by changing the supply and demand of labor. With an influx of immigrants, the labor supply increases, which can lead to increased competition for jobs. Some studies suggest that immigration harms wages for native workers, while others offer no significant effect.

Another way that immigration can impact wages and income distribution is through its effect on the composition of the workforce. Immigrants often fill low-skilled jobs in industries such as agriculture, construction, and hospitality, which tend to pay lower wages. 

Immigration can also impact income distribution by contributing to the overall level of economic inequality in a host country. While immigration can lead to lower wages for some native workers, it can also lead to higher wages and increased economic mobility for some immigrants. Furthermore, immigrants may face various barriers to upward mobility, such as discrimination or lack of access to education and training. This can lead to increased income inequality between native and immigrant workers.

The contribution of immigrants to economic growth and innovation

Immigrants have historically played a significant role in driving economic growth and innovation in host countries. In this section, we will explore the contribution of immigrants to economic growth and innovation and the factors that enable them to do so.

One of the primary ways that immigrants contribute to economic growth is through their entrepreneurial activities. Immigrants are often more likely to start their businesses than native-born individuals, and these businesses can create jobs and drive economic growth. Immigrant entrepreneurs have contributed to developing industries such as technology, healthcare, and hospitality. Additionally, immigrants are often overrepresented in STEM fields, which is critical to driving innovation and economic growth.

Another way that immigrants contribute to economic growth is through their impact on the labor force. Immigrants tend to be more mobile than native-born individuals, which can lead to a more flexible and adaptable workforce. Immigrants also tend to fill critical roles in industries such as healthcare and agriculture, which are essential to maintaining the functioning of the economy. By filling these roles, immigrants contribute to the overall productivity and growth of the economy.

The costs and benefits of social welfare programs for immigrants

The issue of social welfare programs for immigrants has been a controversial topic in many host countries. In this section, we will explore the costs and benefits of social welfare programs for immigrants and the policy implications.

One of the primary benefits of social welfare programs for immigrants is that they can help reduce poverty and promote social inclusion. Immigrants often face significant barriers to economic mobility, such as language barriers and discrimination. Social welfare programs can help provide a safety net for those struggling to make ends meet and promote social cohesion by reducing inequalities.

However, social welfare programs for immigrants also come with costs. One concern is that these programs may attract immigrants primarily seeking to access social welfare benefits rather than contributing to the economy. This can strain public finances and create resentment among native-born individuals who feel their tax dollars are being used to support immigrants.

Another concern is that social welfare programs may create disincentives for immigrants to work and contribute to the economy. If the benefits of social welfare programs are too generous, some immigrants may choose to rely on them rather than seek employment. This can create long-term dependence and reduce overall economic productivity.

The impact of immigration on public finances and fiscal policies

The effect of immigration on public finances and fiscal policies is a topic of significant interest and debate. This section will explore how immigration affects public finances and how host countries can implement budgetary policies to manage the impact.

One way that immigration can impact public finances is through taxes. Immigrants who are employed and pay taxes can contribute to the tax base of the host country, which can provide additional revenue for public services and infrastructure. However, immigrants who are not employed or earn low wages may contribute fewer taxes, which can strain public finances. 

Fiscal policies can be used to manage the impact of immigration on public finances. One guideline is to increase taxes on immigrants to offset the costs of public services they use. However, this can create a disincentive for highly skilled and educated immigrants to migrate to the host country. Another policy is to increase spending on public services to accommodate the needs of immigrants. However, this can strain public finances and lead to resentment among native-born individuals who feel their tax dollars are being used to support immigrants.

In conclusion, the economic impact of immigration is a complex issue with both costs and benefits for host countries. Immigration can impact labor markets, wages and income distribution, economic growth and innovation, social welfare programs, public finances, and fiscal policies. 

The social and cultural implications of immigration

Immigration has social and cultural implications that affect both immigrants and host countries. The movement of people from one place to another can result in a blending of cultures, traditions, and ideas. At the same time, immigration can also result in social and cultural tensions as different groups struggle to integrate and adjust to new environments. 

The social and cultural implications of immigration have become increasingly important in today's globalized world as the movement of people across borders has become more common. In this article, we will explore the various social and cultural implications of immigration and how they impact immigrants and host communities.

The impact of immigration on social cohesion and integration

Immigration has a significant impact on social cohesion and integration in host countries. Social cohesion refers to the degree to which members of a society feel connected and share a sense of belonging. In contrast, integration refers to the process by which immigrants become a part of the host society. Immigration can either enhance or hinder social cohesion and integration, depending on how it is managed and perceived by the host society.

Another factor that can impact social cohesion and integration is the level of diversity within the host society. Increased diversity can lead to greater cultural exchange and understanding but also social tensions and the formation of segregated communities. Promoting social interaction and cooperation among diverse groups can help mitigate these tensions and promote social cohesion.

The perception of immigrants by the host society also plays a significant role in social cohesion and integration. Negative stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes can hinder integration and create barriers to social cohesion. On the other hand, positive attitudes towards immigrants and their contributions to society can facilitate integration and promote social cohesion.

The role of language and communication in the integration of immigrants

Language and communication play a crucial role in integrating immigrants into host societies. Immigrants may need the ability to communicate effectively with others to overcome significant barriers to social and economic integration. Language and communication skills are essential for accessing education, finding employment, and participating in civic life.

Language is one of the primary barriers immigrants face when integrating into a new society. Without proficiency in the host country's language, immigrants may struggle to understand instructions, participate in conversations, and access essential services. This can lead to social isolation and hinder economic opportunities.

Language training programs are one way to address this issue. Effective language training programs can help immigrants learn the host country's language and develop the communication skills necessary for successful integration. These programs can also give immigrants the cultural knowledge and understanding essential to navigate the host society.

The effect of immigration on cultural diversity and identity

Immigration can significantly impact the cultural diversity and identity of both host societies and immigrant communities. The cultural exchange resulting from immigration can enrich societies and provide opportunities for learning and growth. However, immigration can also pose challenges to preserving cultural identities and maintaining social cohesion.

One of the primary ways in which immigration affects cultural diversity and identity is through the introduction of new customs, traditions, and beliefs. Immigrant communities often bring unique cultural practices, such as food, music, and art, that can enhance the cultural landscape of the host society. Exposure to new cultures can broaden the perspectives of individuals and communities, leading to greater tolerance and understanding.

The challenges and benefits of multiculturalism in host countries

Multiculturalism refers to the coexistence of different cultural groups within a society. It is a concept that has become increasingly important in modern societies characterized by race, ethnicity, religion, and language diversity. 

Multiculturalism is often promoted to promote tolerance, social cohesion, and the celebration of diversity. 

Challenges of multiculturalism

Multiculturalism presents a range of challenges that can impact host societies. These challenges include social division, discrimination, language barriers, and cultural clashes. For example, when immigrants share different values or traditions than the host society, this can lead to misunderstandings and conflict. Similarly, language barriers can limit communication and make it difficult for immigrants to integrate into the host society.

Benefits of multiculturalism

Multiculturalism can also bring a range of benefits to host societies. These benefits include increased cultural awareness and sensitivity, economic growth, and exchanging ideas and perspectives. For example, cultural diversity can provide opportunities for host societies to learn from different cultural practices and approaches to problem-solving. This can lead to innovation and growth.

Social cohesion

Social cohesion refers to the ability of a society to function harmoniously despite differences in culture, ethnicity, religion, and language. Multiculturalism can pose a challenge to social cohesion, but it can also promote it. Host societies can foster social cohesion by promoting the acceptance and understanding of different cultural groups. This can be achieved through policies and programs that promote intercultural dialogue, education, and community-building.

Discrimination and prejudice

Multiculturalism can also increase the risk of discrimination and prejudice. Discrimination can take many forms, including racial, religious, and cultural bias. Host societies can combat discrimination by implementing anti-discrimination laws and policies and promoting diversity and inclusion.

Economic benefits

Multiculturalism can also bring economic benefits to host societies. The presence of a diverse range of skills and talents can lead to innovation and economic growth. Immigrants can also get various skills and experiences contributing to the host society's economic development.

In conclusion, immigration has significant social and cultural implications for both host countries and immigrants. It affects social cohesion, integration, cultural diversity, and identity. Host countries face challenges and benefits of multiculturalism, including economic growth, innovation, and social change.

The role of immigration in shaping national identity

Immigration has always been a significant driver of cultural and social change, with immigrants often bringing their unique identities, values, and traditions to their new homes. As a result, immigration can play a crucial role in shaping national identity, as it challenges existing cultural norms and values and introduces new ideas and perspectives. 

In this article, we will explore the role of immigration in shaping national identity, including its effects on cultural diversity, social cohesion, and political discourse. We will also discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by immigration to national identity and the importance of embracing a diverse and inclusive national identity in today's globalized world.

Immigration and the evolution of national identity

The relationship between immigration and national identity is complex, as immigration can challenge and reinforce existing national identities. As immigrants bring new cultural practices and values, they challenge the existing norms and values of the host society, prompting a re-evaluation of what it means to be part of that society. This can create a more inclusive and diverse national identity as different cultural traditions and practices are recognized and celebrated.

At the same time, the influx of new immigrants can also create a sense of fear and anxiety among some members of the host society, who may view the changes brought about by immigration as a threat to their cultural identity. This can lead to calls for stricter immigration policies and a more limited definition of national identity, which can exclude or marginalize certain groups.

The role of immigrants in shaping cultural diversity

Immigrants have played a significant role in shaping cultural diversity in many countries. Their arrival in a new land brings their customs, traditions, beliefs, and practices, which contribute to society's richness and vibrancy. 

One of the key ways in which immigrants have shaped cultural diversity is through their contributions to the local community. Immigrants bring a wealth of knowledge, skills, and talents that can benefit the societies they move to. For example, they may introduce new cuisines, music, art, and literature that add to the cultural landscape of their new home. This can create a more diverse and inclusive society where different cultures are celebrated and appreciated.

Another important aspect of cultural diversity is the challenges immigrants face when adapting to a new culture. Moving to a new country can be a daunting experience, especially if the culture is vastly different from one's own. Immigrants may struggle with language barriers, cultural norms, and social customs that are unfamiliar to them. This can lead to feelings of isolation and exclusion, which can negatively impact their mental health and well-being.

The challenges of maintaining social cohesion amidst diversity

Strengthening social cohesion amidst diversity is a complex challenge many societies face today. Cultural, ethnic, religious, and language diversity can lead to tensions and conflicts if managed poorly. 

One of the main challenges of maintaining social cohesion amidst diversity is the need to balance the interests of different groups. This involves recognizing and respecting the cultural, religious, and linguistic diversity of society while also promoting a sense of shared identity and common values. This can be particularly challenging in contexts with competing interests and power imbalances between different groups.

Another challenge is the need to address discrimination and prejudice. Discrimination can take many forms, including unequal access to education, employment, housing, hate speech, and violence. Prejudice and stereotypes can also lead to social exclusion and marginalization of certain groups. Addressing these issues requires a concerted effort from the government, civil society, and individuals to promote tolerance and respect for diversity.

Promoting inclusive policies is another crucial factor in maintaining social cohesion amidst diversity. This includes policies promoting equal opportunities for all, regardless of background. This can involve affirmative action programs, targeted social policies, and support for minority groups. Inclusive policies can also create a sense of belonging and ownership among different groups, which helps foster social cohesion.

In conclusion, immigration profoundly influences the formation of national identity. As individuals from various backgrounds merge into a new country, they not only introduce their distinct cultural and ethnic traits but also embark on a journey of personal growth and adaptation. This process mirrors the development of key skills such as leadership, character, and community service, essential for thriving in diverse environments. These attributes are not only vital for immigrants as they integrate into society but are also exemplified in successful National Honor Society essays , where personal growth and societal contribution are celebrated. Thus, the experiences of immigrants significantly enrich the societal tapestry, reflecting in our collective values, beliefs, and practices.

To sum it all up:

To recapitulate writing a five-paragraph essay about immigration can be challenging, but with the right approach and resources, it can be a rewarding experience. Throughout this article, we have discussed the various aspects of immigration that one can explore in such an essay, including the economic impact, social and cultural implications, and the evolution of national identity. 

If you're looking for an AI-powered writing assistant to help you with your next writing project, sign up for Jenni.ai today. With its advanced language models and intuitive interface, Jenni.ai can provide you with personalized suggestions and feedback to improve your writing. Give it a try, Sign up for free and take your writing to the next level!

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Immigrants make up the largest share of the population in over 150 years and continue to shape who we are as canadians.

Released: 2022-10-26

Canada has a long history of immigration. Millions of people from all over the world have chosen, and continue to choose, Canada as their new home. In 2021, more than 8.3 million people, or almost one-quarter (23.0%) of the population, were, or had ever been, a landed immigrant or permanent resident in Canada. This was the largest proportion since Confederation, topping the previous 1921 record of 22.3%, and the highest among the G7.

Given that the population of Canada continues to age and fertility is below the population replacement level , today immigration is the main driver of population growth . If these trends continue, based on Statistics Canada's recent population projections , immigrants could represent from 29.1% to 34.0% of the population of Canada by 2041.

The COVID -1 9 pandemic highlighted the contribution that immigrants make to Canada's labour market. With job vacancies in late 2021 hitting 80% higher than pre-pandemic levels , and the working population aging, immigration is even more critical to the labour market than ever before. Recent immigrants, whose age structure is younger than the general population, constitute a pool of workers who can help mitigate the impacts of labour shortages in a number of sectors and regions across the country. From 2016 to 2021, immigrants accounted for four-fifths of labour force growth . More and more immigrants have pre-admission experience in Canada, and a large share of recent immigrants were selected for their ability to contribute to Canada's economy.

Immigrants come from many different countries, bringing with them their cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious heritage. In the past, the majority of immigrants in Canada came from Europe. However, over the past 50 years, the share of new immigrants from Europe has declined, with the share of new immigrants who were born in Asia (including the Middle East) increasing. Over time, Asia has become the top source region of new immigrants, and this trend continued in 2021. The share of new immigrants from Africa also increased. Together, immigrants, Indigenous peopl e—w ho have walked this land for thousands of years, before Europeans settled her e—a nd their descendants have helped shape Canada as it is known today.

Today, Statistics Canada is releasing the sixth set of results from the 2021 Census, which provide an updated statistical portrait of the immigrant population. The census is one of the most comprehensive sources of data on immigrants living in Canada, allowing for comparability over time and at various levels of geography.

Governments at all level s—f rom federal to provincial, territorial and municipa l—a s well as many other non-governmental and community organizations will use this information to develop and evaluate immigration policies and programs, and to plan and implement education, health care, housing and other services.

Almost one in four people (23.0%) counted during the 2021 Census are or have been a landed immigrant or permanent resident in Canada. This was the highest proportion since Confederation, topping the previous record of 22.3% in 1921, and the largest proportion among G7 countries.

Just over 1.3 million new immigrants settled permanently in Canada from 2016 to 2021, the highest number of recent immigrants recorded in a Canadian census.

The share of recent immigrants settling in Atlantic Canada almost tripled in 15 years, rising from 1.2% in 2006 to 3.5% in 2021.

Over half of recent immigrants living in Canada were admitted under the economic category. Of these 748,120 economic immigrants, just over one-third (34.5%) were selected through skilled worker programs and another one-third (33.6%) through the Provincial Nominee Program.

The proportion of immigrants who first came to Canada temporarily on work or study permits or as asylum claimants before being admitted as permanent residents was especially high among recent immigrants who settled since 2016 (36.6%).

Asia, including the Middle East, remained the continent of birth for most recent immigrants (62.0%).

Almost one in five recent immigrants (18.6%) were born in India, making it the leading country of birth for recent immigration to Canada.

In contrast, the share of recent immigrants from Europe continued to decline, falling from 61.6% in 1971 to 10.1% in 2021.

The vast majority (92.7%) of recent immigrants are able to conduct a conversation in either English or French.

The share of second-generation Canadians (children of immigrants) younger than 15 years with at least one foreign-born parent rose from 26.7% in 2011 to 31.5% in 2021.

Canada's population growth driven by the record number of new immigrants admitted from 2016 to 2021 

Infographic 1  nearly one in four people in canada are immigrants, the highest proportion of the population in more than 150 years.

The rising proportion of immigrants is mainly driven by the record number of new immigrants who came to Canada from 2016 to 2021, despite fewer immigrants being admitted in 2020 because of the border and travel restrictions implemented in response to the pandemic.

From 2016 to 2021, Canada's population living in private households grew by 5.4%, and new, or recent, immigrants accounted for 71.1% of that growth.

Over 1.3 million recent immigrants were permanently admitted from January 1, 2016 to May 11, 2021, accounting for 15.9% of all immigrants living in Canada in 2021.

When combined with those already established here, more than 8.3 million people, or 23.0% of the population, were or had ever been a landed immigrant or permanent resident of Canada in 2021.

Immigration is expected to continue to increase in the decades to come. According to Statistics Canada's recent population projections , immigrants could represent from 29.1% to 34.0% of the total population by 2041.

Close to two-thirds of recent immigrants are of core working age

Infographic 2  close to two-thirds of recent immigrants are of core working age, rejuvenating canada's aging population.

While Canada has the highest share of the total population aged 15 to 64 among G7 countries, at 64.8%, the country's working population has never been older . According to the recent census release on age and type of dwelling, more than one in five people were closing in on retirement age (55 to 64 years), an all-time high. There were also more people aged 55 to 64 than young adults aged 15 to 24.

While immigration ultimately cannot stop the population aging process, it has a rejuvenating effect on the population in Canada overall. Since people usually migrate when they are young, the vast majority (95.8%) of recent immigrants to Canada from 2016 to 2021 were under the age of 65.

Just over 1 in 10 recent immigrants were youth and young adults aged 15 to 24 (10.9%), while most (64.2%) were in the core working age group of 25 to 54. A much smaller proportion of recent immigrants (3.6%) were aged 55 to 64.

Children younger than 15 years of age, who may one day join the labour force, represented 17.1% of recent arrivals to Canada. Immigration over the near term will ease the labour force crunch in Canada.

More immigrants are now working in Canada than before the pandemic, and, from 2016 to 2021, immigration contributed to 79.9% of the growth in Canada's labour force . The labour market outcomes of immigrants have improved in recent years, and since 2016, the employment rate among immigrants has risen by 2.0 percentage points, while the Canadian-born population has experienced a decrease of 2.0 percentage points.

Although more immigrants are employed in Canada, challenges remain, especially regarding skill utilization. From 2001 to 2016, the percentage of university-educated recent immigrants working in a job requiring a university degree decreased and was well below the proportion of their Canadian-born counterparts. Recent policy changes have been implemented to improve labour market outcomes for new immigrants and to increase the responsiveness of immigration to labour market demand. The census release in November 2022 will allow for further analysis of the education levels of Canada's recent immigrants and their skill uptake in the labour market.

More than half of recent immigrants are admitted under the economic category

In Canada, immigrants are selected according to three broad objectives: to enhance and promote economic development, to reunite families, and to fulfill the country's international obligations and uphold its humanitarian tradition.

Immigrants admitted under the economic category are selected based upon their potential economic contribution to meet labour market needs, or to create economic opportunities by owning, operating or investing in a business or through self-employment. In 2021, more than half (56.3%) of recent immigrants living in Canada were admitted under the economic category, either as the principal applicant or the dependant.

Among the broad types of economic immigration programs , more than one-third (34.5%) of new economic immigrants admitted from 2016 to 2021 were selected under one of the skilled worker programs. A similar proportion were selected under the Provincial Nominee Program, which is a program where people who have skills, education and work experience are nominated to contribute to the economy of a specific province or territory.

The proportion of economic immigrants admitted under the Provincial Nominee Program has increased since the first Provincial Nominee Program agreement was signed in Manitoba in 1996. Of those new economic immigrants admitted from 2016 to 2021, 33.6% were Provincial Nominee Program candidates, compared with 3.7% of those economic immigrants admitted from 2001 to 2005 and still living in Canada.

Manitoba (90.2%) had the highest share of recent economic immigrants selected as provincial nominees, followed by Saskatchewan (87.3%) and Prince Edward Island (84.7%). Provincial nominees also accounted for the majority of recent economic immigrants in Nova Scotia (66.4%), New Brunswick (63.7%), Yukon (62.9%), the Northwest Territories (56.8%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (53.3%).

In Canada, nine provinces and two territories have established their own Provincial Nominee Program. The exceptions are Quebec and Nunavut. Quebec has administered its own economic immigration programs since 1991 through the Canada–Quebec Accord , which gives the province more autonomy over the selection and integration of its immigrants. In 2021, 46.4% of recent immigrants who lived in Quebec were admitted under a skilled worker program.

Just under 61,000 recent refugees came from Syria, attesting to Canada's international commitments and its long-standing humanitarian tradition

According to the 2021 Census, there were 218,430 new refugees admitted as permanent residents from 2016 to 2021 and still present in Canada at the time of the census. The primary places of birth of refugees have changed considerably over the decades, in tandem with conflicts and international events. These changes are reflected in the profile of refugees who are still in the country today.

For example, from 1980 to 1990, most refugees came from Viet Nam, Poland and El Salvador.

From 1991 to 2000, Sri Lanka, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iran accounted for the largest share of refugees admitted to Canada.

From 2001 to 2010, Colombia, Afghanistan and Iraq were the main countries of birth of refugees who settled in Canada during that period.

In 2015, the Government of Canada committed to bringing Syrian refugees to the country. At the time of the 2016 Census, close to 27,000 Syrian refugees had already been admitted to Canada over the previous five years . From 2016 to 2021, 60,795 new Syrian-born refugees were admitted and living in Canada, accounting for over one-quarter (27.8%) of the new refugees in the country.

Iraq (15,505), Eritrea (13,965), Afghanistan (9,490) and Pakistan (7,810) were the other most common countries of birth for new refugees from 2016 to 2021.

The majority of refugees were resettled in Canada after a recommendation by the United Nations Refugee Agency, a designated referral organization or a private sector sponsor.

Close to 85,000 immigrants were recognized as protected persons in Canada and became permanent residents from 2016 to 2021 following an asylum claim in Canada for themselves or their family members.

More than one-third of recent immigrants have pre-admission experience

Infographic 3  more than one-third of recent immigrants have pre-admission experience.

Pre-admission experience is gained when immigrants first come to Canada temporarily on work or study permits or as asylum claimants before seeking permanent residence. This process is called " two-step immigration " and it can ease an immigrant's integration into the Canadian labour market and improve earnings in both the short and long term. The two-step immigration process has the objective to improve outcomes for immigrants, employers, society and the economy, giving both the receiving country and the potential immigrant the opportunity to test the situation before making the move permanent.

Among immigrants admitted since 1980 and where pre-admission experience information was available, one-quarter (25.2%) had lived temporarily in Canada before their admission as permanent residents or landed immigrants.

Given the increase in the number of temporary foreign workers and international students, as well as the expansion of some economic immigrant programs (for example, the Canadian Experience Class and the Provincial Nominee Program), two-step immigration is more common among recent immigrants. In 2021, over one-third (36.6%) of immigrants admitted in the previous five years had gone through this process, compared with 17.9% among longer-term immigrants (those admitted from 2001 to 2005).

Most (62.9%) immigrants admitted since 1980 with pre-admission experience had acquired a temporary work permit. This was especially true among immigrants who recently settled in the country permanently (77.3%). There are many benefits associated with pre-admission experience. It plays a key role in lifting immigrants' wages , as it provides pathways for immigrants to acquire language skills and knowledge of the Canadian labour market. Immigrants with prior experience in Canada have contributed to recent improvements in labour force outcomes among new immigrants .

Increasing shares of recent immigrants settling outside Canada's three largest urban centres

In 2021, over 9 in 10 recent immigrants lived in one of Canada's 41 census metropolitan areas ( CMAs ), which are large urban centres of over 100,000 residents. As was the trend over the past 50 years, Toronto (29.5%), Montréal (12.2%) and Vancouver (11.7%) continued to welcome the most recent immigrants in 2021.

However, the share of recent immigrants who have settled in Canada's three largest urban centres continued to decline, falling from 56.0% in 2016 to 53.4% in 2021—with the most pronounced decrease in Montréal, where the share went from 14.8% in 2016 to 12.2% in 2021.

In contrast, an increasing number of recent immigrants have settled outside these key urban centres, strengthening population growth in urban centres outside Canada's three largest CMAs . For example, the share of recent immigrants who settled in Ottawa–Gatineau rose from 3.1% in 2016 to 4.4% in 2021, while it almost doubled in Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo (from 1.2% in 2016 to 2.1% in 2021; see Table 1).

Additionally, 4.4% of recent immigrants settled in small urban areas (census agglomerations) and 3.2% of recent immigrants settled in rural areas (outside CMAs and census agglomerations) in 2021.

New immigrants often settle in regions where they have existing social networks, economic and employment opportunities and enjoy the general appeal of the area . Several immigration programs and investments were also designed to help balance the geographical distribution of recent immigrants across the country and encourage settlement in both small and large metropolitan areas.

The share of recent immigrants settling in Atlantic Canada has nearly tripled since 2006

The share of recent immigrants settling in Atlantic Canada has almost tripled, rising from 1.2% in 2006 to 3.5% in 2021. Over this 15-year period, the share of recent immigrants rose in Nova Scotia (from 0.6% to 1.6%), New Brunswick (from 0.4% to 1.2%), Prince Edward Island (from 0.1% to 0.4%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (from 0.1% to 0.3%).

As is the case in other provinces, the settlement of recent immigrants is especially notable in the large urban centres of the Atlantic provinces. Between one-third and one-half of all immigrants living in Moncton (48.4%), Fredericton (39.2%), Saint John (36.2%), Halifax (35.2%) and St. John's (32.5%) were admitted from 2016 to 2021.

The Atlantic Immigration Program ( AIP ) was launched in 2017 as an employer-driven program to speed the growth of Atlantic Canada's economy and to test new approaches to attract and retain skilled immigrants in the region in key sectors.

The program helps temporary foreign workers and international graduates wanting to live and work in one of the four Atlantic provinces gain permanent residency. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada ( IRCC ) has reported that since its inception, the AIP has brought thousands of new permanent residents to Atlantic Canada. Participating employers have made over 9,800 job offers in key sectors, including health care, accommodation and food services, and manufacturing.

IRCC reported that the vast majority of AIP applicants were still living in the region after one year. The AIP and other similar programs could play a role in population growth and economic development of various regions across the country.

This new economic admission category for immigrants has been included in the 2021 Census.

Map 1  The Atlantic provinces welcomed higher shares of recent immigrants in Canada than the previous censuses, while Quebec and the Prairies saw their shares decrease

Following the drop in global oil prices in 2014 and increased unemployment in Alberta, the proportion of new immigrants settling in Alberta fell from 17.1% in 2016 to 14.5% in 2021. Nevertheless, this was well above the proportion observed in 2006, when 9.3% of new immigrants made Alberta their home.

New immigrants represented almost one-third of the immigrant population of Regina (32.5%) and Saskatoon (31.2%) in 2021.

The territories (Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut) had the lowest numbers of recent immigrants in Canada. In 2021, 2,175 new immigrants, or 0.2% of all recent immigrants to the country, settled in the territories. This proportion has remained stable since 2011.

Changes in the place of birth of immigrants over time contribute to Canada's linguistic and ethnocultural landscape

Infographic 4  almost two-thirds of recent immigrants were born in asia, including the middle east.

The places of birth of immigrants and refugees to Canada have changed over time, in tandem with changing immigration policies as well as international events, contributing to the diversity of Canadian society.

For decades, Asia (including the Middle East) has accounted for the largest share of recent immigrants. This proportion has grown, with Asian-born immigrants making up a record-high 62.0% of recent immigrants admitted from 2016 to 2021—whereas in 1971, 12.1% of recent immigrants were from Asia.

The share of recent immigrants born in Europe continued its 50-year downward trend. In 2021, 1 in 10 recent immigrants (10.1%) were from Europe, a proportion about six times lower than in 1971 (61.6%).

Largest proportion of new immigrants comes from India

Infographic 5  nearly one in five recent immigrants were born in india, the highest proportion from a single place of birth since 1971 .

For the first time, India took the top spot as the primary place of birth of new immigrants to Canada (18.6% of recent immigrants from 2016 to 2021), followed by the Philippines (11.4%) and China (8.9%).

The last time that such a high proportion of immigrants came from a single place of birth was during the 1971 Census, when 20.9% of all recent immigrants came from the United Kingdom.

The picture of immigration varies in Canada by place of birth, period of immigration, admission category and place of residence. See this interactive chart for more information on how immigration varies by region.

Over 450 mother tongues reported on the census, as newcomers contribute to linguistic diversity

The wide variety of source regions of immigrants contributes to the linguistic diversity in Canada . In 2021, 69.4% of recent immigrants did not report having English or French as their mother tongue, that is, the first language they learned in childhood that is still understood. In the context of this release, languages other than English and French are also referred to as "non-official languages." Arabic (10.3%), Tagalog (8.4%), Mandarin (7.9%), and Punjabi (6.5%) were the non-official languages reported most often as mother tongues by recent immigrants, either alone or with another language.

In 2021, nearly one in four recent immigrants (24.4%) reported English as their mother tongu e—a lone or with another language. This proportion was up from 18.2% in 2016. Those immigrants reporting English as their mother tongue predominately came from India (20.5%), the Philippines (12.5%), the United States (10.3%) and Nigeria (10.2%).

Of recent immigrants, 6.5% reported French as their mother tongue, either alone or with another language, the same proportion as in 2016. These recent immigrants were largely coming from France (30.3%), Cameroon (11.5%), Côte d'Ivoire (8.4%), Algeria (5.8%) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (5.7%).

The vast majority of recent immigrants can conduct a conversation in either English or French

Although a large proportion (69.4%) of the recent immigrants reported only having non-official languages as their mother tongue, the vast majority (92.7%) of the more than 1.3 million recent immigrants reported being able to conduct a conversation in English or French.

Among those recent immigrants who did not report English or French as their mother tongue, nearly two-thirds (62.3%) reported speaking at least one of the two official languages regularly at home, either alone or with another language, reflecting one aspect of the integration of these newcomers. More specifically, almost half (47.8%) reported speaking only English with a non-official language regularly at home, while 7.4% reported speaking only English, 3.3% reported speaking only French with a non-official language and 1.2% reported speaking only French regularly at home.

The percentage of immigrants who spoke English or French regularly at home was even higher among immigrants who had been in Canada longer. In 2021, 76.4% of immigrants who settled in the country before the 1980s and whose mother tongue was not an official language spoke English or French regularly at home, either alone or with another language.

The knowledge or predominant use of English or French generally leads immigrants to one of Canada's two official language communities in the public sphere, and even the private sphere. The first official language spoken ( FOLS ) is a general indicator of this linguistic orientation.

Outside Quebec, almost 9 in 10 recent immigrants (89.1%) had only English as their FOLS . The share of recent immigrants settling outside Quebec with only French as their FOLS was 2.1%, while 1.3% reported both English and French as their FOLS . The share of recent immigrants outside Quebec with neither English nor French was 7.5%.

In Quebec, over half (54.5%) of recent immigrants had only French as their FOLS in 2021. The share of recent immigrants to Quebec with both English and French as their FOLS was 14.7% in 2021, and just over one in four (25.5%) had only English as their FOLS . The share of recent immigrants in Quebec with neither English nor French as their FOLS was 5.3%.

For more information on the linguistic integration of immigrants, stay tuned for the release on language at work. New census data will be available in November 2022.

Immigrants also contribute to the ethnic, cultural and religious diversity of the country. For more information, the Daily article titled " The Canadian census: A rich portrait of the country's religious and ethnocultural diversity " is available today.

The vast majority of immigrants, recent or established, live in a major urban centre

Infographic 6  10 of canada's 41 large urban centres have a higher proportion of immigrants than all of canada.

The provinces and territories, especially the urban centres where immigrants are initially settled, often remain the place they call home, contributing to the urbanization of the country .

The vast majority (92.2%) of immigrants in 2021 lived in a CMA . In comparison, just over two-thirds (67.7%) of those born in Canada lived in a CMA .

The fact that most established immigrants and recent immigrants choose to settle in large urban centres has had a profound impact on Canada's cities. New immigrants tend to join existing immigrant communities already established throughout the country, especially in its largest cities. Family, friends, jobs, housing and lifestyle are some of the key factors that immigrants consider when selecting their new home.

The large urban centre of Toronto has the largest proportion of immigrants overall. In 2021, close to half (46.6%) of the population living in the Toronto CMA were immigrants. Immigrants made up more than half of the residents of four municipalities in the Toronto CMA : Markham (58.6%), Richmond Hill (58.2%), Mississauga (53.2%) and Brampton (52.9%).

Vancouver had the second-largest proportion of immigrants, at 41.8%. Within the large urban centre of Vancouver, immigrants accounted for three-fifths (60.3%) of the population of Richmond and half (50.4%) of Burnaby's population.

Among Canada's 41 largest urban centres, the proportion of immigrants was above the national average of 23.0% in Calgary (31.5%), Abbotsford–Mission (26.1%), Edmonton (26.0%), Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo (25.8%), Hamilton (25.6%), Winnipeg (25.4%), Montréal (24.3%) and Windsor (23.3%).

According to 2022 results from the Canadian Social Survey, most new immigrants still value having family in the area. At the same time, the location of jobs, businesses and education prospects, as well as housing, are also among the top key factors considered by immigrants as reasons for settling in specific cities.

The fact that recent immigrants are increasingly choosing to settle outside of the large urban centres of Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver may partly reflect the higher shelter and housing costs and availability in these cities, as Toronto and Vancouver reported the highest rates of unaffordable housing in the 2021 Census. According to the census release on housing , shelter costs across Canada, especially for renters, have been rising since 2016. Despite improved housing affordability overall, over one in five immigrants (21.0%) spent at least 30% of their income on shelter costs. In comparison, 13.2% of non-immigrant respondents spent at least 30% of their income on shelter in 2021. Approximately 1 in 7 recent immigrants (14.3%) were deemed in core housing need, compared with around 1 in 16 (6.4%) for those born in Canada.

Other possible factors for the shift in settlement patterns of immigrants include changes in regional economic conditions, immigration programs and source countries of immigrants.

Almost one-third of all children in Canada have a least one parent born abroad

Canadian-born children of immigrants, also called the "second generation," have at least one foreign-born parent. The second generation may adopt a dual cultural background, combining the values and culture of their parents' country of origin with the values, social norms and official languages of the host country, and act as a bridge between their immigrant parents and the rest of the population.

According to 2021 Census data, almost 1.9 million children younger than 15 years had at least one parent born abroad, accounting for almost one-third (31.5%) of all children in Canada. This proportion was up from 26.7% in 2011 and 29.2% in 2016.

When added to the children of immigrants who are now adults, the share of second-generation Canadians has remained relatively stable in the last decade. Just under 6.4 million people born in Canada had at least one foreign-born parent in 2021, representing 17.6% of the total population, compared with just over 5.7 million in 2011, or 17.4% of the total population.

Children of immigrant s—b oth young and ol d—c ontribute to the population renewal, economic growth and diversity of Canada.

Looking ahead

Public decision makers, employers and providers of health care, education, justice and other services use census data to better meet the needs of immigrants.

Immigrants who have settled in Canada for a certain number of years can apply for and obtain Canadian citizenship. Read more about Canadian citizenship in the Census in Brief article coming soon.

For more census results on the diversity of the population, consult the Daily article on ethnocultural diversity and religion, also released today.

Look out for the next census release on education and the labour force, coming out on November 30, 2022. The release of these data will allow for more in-depth analysis of socioeconomic outcomes for immigrants.

More census information on non-permanent residents in Canada will be released in 2023.

  Note to readers

Canadians are invited to download the StatsCAN app to view the census results.

Definitions, concepts and geography

The 2021 Census collected information on place of birth , place of birth of parents and citizenship .

Generation status can be derived when the place of birth and place of birth of parents are combined to establish whether the respondent is in the first, second, or third generation or more.

A change in the 2021 Census consisted of getting information on immigrant status and year of immigration from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada administrative data rather than from census questions, as was done in previous censuses. This helped to improve data quality and reduce the burden on respondents to recall information, such as the year they were granted the right to live in Canada permanently. Data integration is a secure process in which all information remains confidential.

Immigrant refers to a person who is or has been a landed immigrant or permanent resident. Such a person has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities. Immigrants who obtained Canadian citizenship by naturalization are included in this group.

Period of immigration refers to a specific time frame in which an immigrant first obtained permanent resident or landed immigrant status. Period of immigration allows recent immigrants to be identified.

Recent immigrant (or new immigrant or newcomer) refers to a person who has been admitted to the country permanently in the five years preceding a census. In the 2021 Census, this period is January 1, 2016, to May 11, 2021.

Admission category and applicant type provide information on the conditions under which immigrants were granted the right to live in Canada (e.g., economic immigrants, immigrants sponsored by family, refugees). Applicant type is most often used in combination with admission category, particularly for the economic immigrant categories, in which principal applicants are selected based on their ability to contribute to the Canadian economy. These variables are available for immigrants who have been admitted since 1980.

Pre-admission experience indicates whether the immigrant held a work or study permit or claimed refugee status (asylum claimant) before admission as a permanent resident. This helps to further understand the socioeconomic outcomes of immigrants with pre-admission experience in Canada and how they compare with those of immigrants without pre-admission experience.

Non-permanent resident refers to a person from another country with a usual place of residence in Canada and who has a work or study permit or who has claimed refugee status (asylum claimant). Family members living with work or study permit holders are also included, unless these family members are already Canadian citizens, landed immigrants or permanent residents. Other concepts that are sometimes used interchangeably with non-permanent residents include "temporary residents" or "temporary immigrants."

Immigrant status provides information on the number of non-immigrants, immigrants and non-permanent residents with a usual place of residence in Canada at the time of the census.

For more information on census questions and derived variables related to immigration, citizenship, place of birth and generation status since Confederation, please refer to Appendix 2.1 of the Dictionary, Census of Population 2021 , Statistics Canada Catalogue no. Catalogue number 98-301-X .

To better understand the relationship between the concepts of immigration, place of birth and generation status, please refer to Figure 2.5 in the Dictionary, Census of Population 2021 , Statistics Canada Catalogue no. Catalogue number 98-301-X .

To better understand the relationship between the concepts of immigration, citizenship and place of birth, please refer to Figure 2.6 in the Dictionary, Census of Population 2021 , Statistics Canada Catalogue no. Catalogue number 98-301-X .

All findings in this document are based on the 2021 geographic boundaries.

The 2021 Census uses Statistics Canada's standard classifications for all place of birth, generation status, citizenship and immigration variables. Data from responses to the census questions or from administrative records are used to produce summary and detailed variables that provide a portrait of the population living in Canada.

New for 2021, additional immigration variables on year of arrival, pre-admission experience and province or territory of intended destination were included in the census.

For more information, please see the Place of Birth, Generation Status, Citizenship and Immigration Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 .

2021 Census of Population products and releases

Today, Statistics Canada is releasing the sixth set of results from the 2021 Census of Population.

Several 2021 Census products are also available today on the 2021  Census Program web module. The web module has been designed to provide easy access to census data, free of charge.

Analytical products include two releases in The Daily and one infographic on citizenship in Canada.

Data products on immigration, place of birth, and citizenship, ethnocultural and religious diversity, as well as mobility and migration for a wide range of standardized geographical areas are available through the Census Profile and data tables .

The Focus on Geography series provides data and highlights on key topics found in this Daily release and in the Census in Brief articles at various levels of geography.

Reference materials are designed to help users make the most of census data. They include the Guide to the Census of Population, 2021 , the Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021 , and the 2021 Census of Population questionnaires . Both the dictionary and the guide are updated with additional information throughout the release cycle. Five reference guides for place of birth, generation status, citizenship and immigration ; visible minority and population group ; religion ; ethnic or cultural origin ; and mobility and migration are also available.

Geography-related 2021 Census Program products and services can be found under Geography . This includes GeoSearch , an interactive mapping tool that provides data for various standard geographic areas, along with the Focus on Geography Series and the Census Program Data Viewer , both data visualization tools.

Videos on census concepts can be found in the Census learning centre .

An infographic, Overview of Canadian citizenship in 2021 , is also available.

Over the coming months, Statistics Canada will continue to release results from the 2021 Census of Population, providing an even more comprehensive picture of the population of Canada. Please see the 2021 Census release schedule to learn the topics and date for the next census release.

Contact information

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136 ; 514-283-8300 ; [email protected] ) or Media Relations ( [email protected] ).

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Themba Phongolo Author Themba has been writing for CanadianVisa.org since January 2023. Writing about immigration excites him due to the promise it presents, that people can immigrate and earn a better life for themselves. https://www.canadianvisa.org/author/sinethemba-phongolo

We Make Immigration Simple

2022-12-21T01:38:49

2024-01-08T01:50:00

Learn why Canada stands among the most sought international immigration destinations with our 10 reasons to move to Canada in 2024!

• Immigration

10 Reasons to Move to Canada in 2024

Themba Phongolo

Themba has been writing for CanadianVisa.org since January 2023. Writing about immigration excites him due to the promise it presents, that people can immigrate and earn a better life for themselves.

Canada has long been hailed as one of the best countries to live in, and it's not hard to see why. From its strong and stable economy to its breathtaking natural beauty, Canada offers a wealth of opportunities and experiences for those looking to make a fresh start. What makes the country even more attractive is its welcoming transparent nature towards immigrants.

Find out why Canada is a prime immigration destination for international immigrants with our list of the top 10 reasons to move to Canada in 2024!

Canada’s Strong and Stable Economy

According to Canada's immigration plan to grow the economy, the Canadian Government predicts 465,000 permanent residents in 2023, while 2024 calls for 485,000 newcomers and 500,000 in 2025 in the new levels plan. The idea is to nurture skilled immigrant growth in different regions of the country, including small towns and rural communities, thereby increasing the chances of stimulating economic development and growth.

Canada’s stable economy is reflected in its low unemployment level of 5.8% according to Statistics Canada . This ensures you’ll have a high chance of finding secure, permanent full-time employment in the country.

Reinforcing the economic stability of the country are the many in-demand occupations scattered across the breadth of the country. In-demand jobs in Canada are an excellent way to easily find your place in the country. Here are the latest in-demand jobs in Canada in various provinces/cities:

Canada’s Quality Education System

Canada's quality education is historically one of the major reasons to move to Canada. Canada is the most educated country in the world according to the World Population Review, with 56.27% of its population having completed a postsecondary education program.

Canada’s postsecondary designated learning institutions (DLIs) offer internationally recognized qualifications, equipping international students with the skills needed in both the Canadian and global workforce.

Reinforcing Canada’s reputation as a global education powerhouse is its world-renowned universities, including 4 listed in the top 100 of Times Higher Education ’s 2023 World University Rankings. This includes the:

• University of Toronto ,
• Mcgill University ,
• University of British Columbia , and
• McMaster University .

Canada’s Publicly Funded Universal Healthcare System

Canada has a publicly-funded medical care system called Medicare , accessible to provincial and territorial healthcare insurance plans. The healthcare system covers essential services such as, among others:

• Doctor's visits,
• Hospital stays,
• PET or CAT scans, and
• Prescription medications.

Canadian Medicare gives more medical services at a lower cost to people. It's also universal, meaning almost everyone can receive health care without financial strain. This is because the services are essentially free to Canadian citizens and permanent residents as they are paid through taxes.

Learn more about healthcare in Canada .

Canadian Rights and Responsibilities

Canada is a country that values individual rights and freedoms. As a newcomer to Canada, you will be protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, equality, and mobility. Along with these rights, it is important to understand and embrace your responsibilities as a Canadian resident.

This includes respecting the laws, participating in the democratic process, and contributing positively to Canadian society. Canada's commitment to upholding both rights and responsibilities creates a harmonious and inclusive environment for all.

Find out more about Rights and Responsibilities in Canada .

Immigration to Canada is Made Easy

Canada has several immigration pathways for foreign nationals who want to gain permanent residency and settle there. Here are some of Canada's most popular immigration pathways.

Express Entry System

The Express Entry System is a points-driven system designed to attract skilled foreign workers who want to obtain Canadian permanent residency (Canada PR) as quickly as possible. Application processing times for the Express Entry system can be as fast as 6 months. The system selects applicants based on their Comprehensive Ranking System CRS) score, which is derived based on an evaluation of a candidate:

• Work experience,
• Language skills, and
• Marital and connections to Canada.

You can assess your CRS score with our CRS calculator . The Express Entry system manages three federal economic programs, which are the:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP),
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

Learn more about the Express Entry System .

Provincial Nominee Program

If you know exactly where you'd like to move to in Canada, then a PNP may be the perfect program to immigrate through. You can apply directly to the province or territory once you receive an Invitation To Apply (ITA).

The province will choose candidates according to its labor market needs. This explains why targeting the right province or city is crucial, as you want to ensure your skill set is in high demand.

Find out more about Provincial Nominee Programs .

Multicultural Melting Pot in Canada

Canada is widely regarded as one of the world's most open-minded countries. According to Statistics Canada , the country comprises more than 450 ethnic and cultural origins. This is due to Canada's highly open immigration policy and the abundance of amazing opportunities that Canada offers international immigrants.

Two of Canada’s cities, Toronto and Vancouver , are ranked 2nd and 4th among the world’s most diverse cities according to the World Population Review , with 49% and 42.5% foreign-born residents respectively.

Learn more about multiculturalism in Canada .

Canada’s Breathtaking Natural Beauty

Canada has loads of natural beauty, especially in the areas of low population density where its natural beauty has been retained. From the world-famous Niagara Falls to Canadian cities like Yellowknife and Whitehorse, they have a charm unlike any other. You will find more than one town or small city wedged in the valley of a beautiful mountain range, where a picturesque lifestyle awaits.

Canada holds 20% of the world's surface freshwater according to the Canadian government , allowing you to enjoy crystal clear waters that teem with fish, perfect for swimming, canoeing, and other water sports in the summer. In Winter, Canada's ice-capped mountains await adventure enthusiasts to enjoy all the snow offers.

Find out more about Canada’s natural beauty through its national parks .

Canada’s Safety and Security

Safety and security are paramount when choosing a new place to call home, and Canada consistently ranks among the safest countries in the world, ranking in at number 121 according to the World Population Review . Canada has a crime rate of 2.07 incidences per 100,000 people according to Macro Trends .

This figure places it among the countries with the least incidences of crime per capita in the world, ensuring a significant degree of safety and security for its citizens and permanent residents.

Find out more about safety levels in Canada .

Canada’s Newcomer Services

Moving to a new country can be challenging, but Canada offers a wide range of newcomer services to help ease the transition. Whether you need help finding a job, navigating the healthcare system, or connecting with local communities, there are numerous settlement service providers available to ensure a smooth integration into Canadian society.

These settlement service providers are a testament to Canada's commitment to welcoming and supporting immigrants and include, among others, organizations such as:

• Colleges and Institutes Canada and International Organization for Migration,
• Francophone pre-arrival services Connexions francophones,
• Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS),
• Settlement Online Pre-Arrival Service (SOPA),
• The Active Engagement and Integration Project, and
• Next Stop Canada.

Festivals Galore in Canada

Canada is known for its vibrant and diverse festivals, which showcase the country's rich cultural heritage. Moving to Canada means immersing yourself in a calendar full of festivities, where you can experience the music, food, and traditions of various cultures. These festivals not only provide entertainment but also serve as a platform for cultural exchange and celebration. Prominent Festivals in Canada include the:

• Montreal Jazz Festival,
• Toronto International Film Festival,
• Calgary Stampede,
• Quebec Winter Carnival,
• Just for Laughs Festival, and
• Pride Toronto festival.

How Much Does it Cost to Move to Canada?

The cost of moving to Canada can vary depending on various factors, such as the type of visa you apply for, the province you choose to settle in, and your circumstances. It's essential to consider expenses such as visa application fees, travel costs, accommodation, and living expenses. It is advisable to budget accordingly and seek professional advice from a Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) to ensure a smooth transition.

What is the Best Place to Move to Canada?

The best place to move to in Canada depends on your personal preferences and priorities. Canada offers a wide range of cities and regions, each with its unique charm and opportunities. Whether you're drawn to the vibrant city life of Toronto, the scenic beauty of Vancouver, or the cultural diversity of Montreal , there is a perfect place for everyone in Canada.

What is Canada Best Known For?

Canada is best known for its stunning natural landscapes, multiculturalism, and friendly people. It is also renowned for its achievements in areas such as ice hockey, maple syrup production, and the invention of basketball. Canada's reputation as a peaceful, inclusive, and environmentally conscious nation has earned it global recognition and admiration.

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417 Immigration Topics to Write about & Essay Examples

Welcome to our list of catchy immigration essay titles! Here, you will find a variety of immigration topics to write about as well as writing prompts and presentation ideas.

🔝 Top 10 Immigration Titles for Essays

📝 key points to use to write an outstanding immigration essay, 🏆 best immigration topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on immigration, 🎓 simple & easy immigration essay titles, 🥇 most interesting immigration topics to write about, 📌 immigration writing prompts, ✅ good research topics about immigration, ❓ immigration essay questions, ✨ creative titles for immigration essays, 🚀 immigration topics for presentation.

• How Migration Shapes Identities
• Assimilation vs. Multiculturalism
• Immigration Policies and Their Effects
• Global Responses the Refugee Crisis
• Immigration and Crime: Fact vs. Fiction
• Immigration’s Impact on Social Integration
• Educational Challenges and Opportunities for immigrants
• What Are the Health Impacts of Immigration?
• The Effects of Immigration on Family Separation
• What’s the Role of Immigrants in Entrepreneurship?

Immigration essay is a popular type of assignment in various topics, including politics and social sciences. In a globalized world, people can migrate from one country to another for work, study, and other reasons.

This post will discuss some points that you could include in your essay on immigration to earn a high mark!

First of all, you should provide some background information on the subject. For example, if you are writing an essay about immigration in the United States, describe and discuss the key periods when immigration was high. Try to think about the following questions:

• What motivates people to immigrate a certain country?
• Why is immigration higher in developed countries than in developing ones?
• What are some examples of government policies promoting or reducing immigration?

Secondly, you should cover the key pro/con immigration arguments. Whether your essay is argumentative, persuasive, or informative, you need to acknowledge that immigration has both advantages and disadvantages. Here is a list of questions that you might want to ask yourself while writing the paper:

• What influence does immigration have on the economy?
• Does immigration make it easier or harder for people to find employment?
• Why are some people against immigration, even when it’s legal?

The third point you should address in your essay is illegal immigration.

This is a significant topic in many countries, including the United States. To make sure that your paper receives an excellent mark, answer the following questions:

• What are the reasons that make people immigrate illegally?
• What are your country’s policies with regards to illegal immigrants?
• What impact do illegal aliens have on the economy and society?
• Why are some countries targeted by illegal immigrants more often than others?
• What can governments do to prevent illegal migration without violating human rights and freedoms?

One of the most important immigration essay topics is the immigrant experience. While many students write about immigration, they often fail to present a comprehensive view of the concept.

To avoid this mistake, consider what immigrants feel and experience when they decide to come to a different country. If you have a friend who is an immigrant, you can interview them. Here are a few ideas to think about:

• What are the most widespread challenges faced by immigrants?
• How do people plan their life in a different country?
• Do language barriers affect their relationships with other people, access to medical care, and education?
• How do immigrants adjust to a new culture?
• Can an immigrant integrate fully into the community?

Lastly, when thinking of essay topics about immigration, it is impossible to ignore the impact of immigration on society. Indeed, most essay titles in this area are focused on positive and negative social consequences of immigration. To cover this point in your paper, you may try to answer these questions:

• Does immigration facilitate social division and can this effect be prevented?
• Why do some people oppose cultural and racial diversity? What is cultural assimilation, and is it helpful to modern societies?
• How can cultural pluralism and multiculturalism influence communities in immigrant-rich countries?
• What can we do to ensure that immigration benefits all people, including native citizens?

Hopefully, this post has provided you with some things to talk about in your future immigration essays. Make sure to check sample papers and free essay titles about immigration on our website!

• Essay About Immigration Causes and Effects Some of the major causes of immigration in the current world include; Political unrests and wars This is one of the common causes of immigration in various regions of the world.
• Immigration: Advantages and Disadvantages It is important to mention how immigrants tend to affect the economy of the country. According to the statistics received from the US Bureau of Labor, the participation of foreigners in the workforce was 3.
• The History of Jamaicans Immigration to Canada The final section examines and discusses the migration of Jamaicans to Canada from 1960s to the financial year 2000. Despite the importation, the Maroons who in 1976 migrated to Halifax became the earliest Jamaicans to […]
• Thunder in the Sun – A Tale of Basque Gold-Rush Immigration The examination of the plot of Thunder in the Sun and credible sources focused on the Basques’ culture and immigration into the United States has revealed some inconsistencies in terms of historical evidence.
• Immigration and Discrimination in the Workplace The ability to see a big picture and the need to appreciate the contribution of immigrants to U.S.economy will reduce the incidences of discrimination in the workplace.
• The Texas Border, Security, and Immigration Immigration from Mexico is not thought to represent a violation of U.S.security, but the issue of the Texas border remains relevant and intriguing.
• Chinese Immigration to Cambodia in Personal Story Mom was forced to gather up some money from relatives who were already in the refugee camp to exchange for the release of my sister.
• Ferguson v. Canada: Citizenship and Immigration Case The applicant and the council counter this claim by stating that the officer’s dismissal was based on not finding evidence credible and failing to consider statements such as “Ms.
• Current Immigration Issues in the United States First of all, the goal of this speech is to inform the audience of the current immigration issues in the country and how they have been and are promised to be treated by the politicians.
• Effect of Immigration on American Economy On the other side of the fence there business leaders and economists who asserted that immigrant workers can be a boon to the US economy.
• Operation Jump Start in Immigration Issues: Pros and Cons The chief of the National Guard Bureau claimed that according to the requirements, the National Guard will send more than 2000 groups along the border.
• Analysis of Immigration Issues The lack of protection for the work of immigrants demands compared to people born in this country and who had the opportunity to get a job because the state protects them.
• Immigration in California: “Moving Still” by Francisco Jimenez The atmosphere of fear and poverty forced the families to break the rules and to overcome the frontier in the pursuit of welfare.
• Is Immigration an Economic benefit to the Host Country? Economically, the rate of payment of tax to the host country is always lower than the services it provides to the immigrants.
• Women Immigration to US It is certain that poverty is one of the major factors that propel women to move from their native countries to US.
• Immigration Policies Challenges Policies should therefore be enacted to reinforce the implementation of the 1990 Immigration Act that emphasizes on family reunification and employment to be the main reasons for allowing immigration to the U.S.
• Irish-Catholic Immigration to America The importance of this event appeared from the fact that the Irish migration was one of the most significant contributors to the American immigrants’ inflow.
• The Effects of Immigration in Texas The period between 200 and 2006 saw the population of the foreign-born in the Texas state increase by twenty-four percent and it was during this same period that the state gained over 650,000 immigrants bringing […]
• Immigration Issues in Alfonso Gonzales’s Book “Reform Without Justice: Latino Migrant Politics and the Homeland Security State” Focusing on the emotions associated with the discussed ideas about the necessity of the comprehensive immigration reform, it is necessary to pay attention to the desire to support the claims of the Latino migrant activists […]
• Free-rider Problem and Illegal Immigration The issue of free riding is inevitable in each and every country because of the presence of the presence of minors, tax evaders and illegal immigrants just to mention but a few.
• How Immigration Relates to Post-Human and Globalization? The interrelationship between post-human, globalization and immigration comes as a result of a process that takes ages to materialize. It explains the origin of immigration and globalization which in conjunction gave rise to the post-human […]
• Immigration as Political Issue in the USA The country has been witnessing a surge in the number of immigrants, and it is estimated that the number of illegal immigrants superseded that of the legal ones.
• The IDEAL Immigration Policy Advocacy All IDEAL candidates, like most applicants nowadays, would be required to pay a processing fee in advance to cover the price of doing background checks and conducting visa interviews.
• Immigration in the United States and Canada in the Post Hart-Cella Act (1965) and Canadian Immigration (1976) Act Era Two basic factors motivate Immigration in the world; the first one is the reason to move from country of origin and second, the reason to move to a host country.
• Immigration in New York City and Its Effects Steele and Perkins examine the impact of the apparent volume of migrants in the neighborhood on the propensity to redistribute in New York City.
• The Maya Immigration to the United States Therefore, each narrative included in the article “Maya Youth in Los Angeles” by Alicia Ivonne Estrada helps a reader to determine the factors that affected the Maya immigration to the U.S.
• The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada The IRB is comprised of the Immigration Appeal Division, the Immigration Division, and the Refugee Protection Division. The governor-in-council appoints the Chairperson of the IRB who is supported by the vice-chairperson and deputy chairperson.
• The National Immigration Enforcement The intention of ICE to employ their agents in sanctuary cities will only make the gap between the cities and enforcement agencies wider.
• Migration Patterns: American Immigration However, it is also crucial to refer to the effects of such processes, including the overview of local communities, the impact on the economy, and the overall development or lack thereof when multiple individuals move […]
• The Harvest of the Empire: Immigration in the US The situation has become more acute in the last few years because of global problems like the coronavirus. The entire economic development of the colonies was subordinated to the interests of Spain and Portugal.
• Climate Change and Immigration Issues Due to its extensive coverage of the aspects of climate migration, the article will be significant to the research process in acquiring a better understanding of the effects of climate change on different people from […]
• Immigration: The Key Challenges As evidenced in the four articles, the key challenges of immigration revolve around high unemployment, border militarization, and legality of DACA. The border agents, as explicated in the Carroll’s article, have doubled to 23,000 for […]
• Aspects of Immigration From Mexico to the United States In the 20th century, the employment of immigrants was an ambiguous decision due to the possibility of hiring a cheap labor force and the necessity of legal registration.
• Immigration in the US: Historical Background Therefore, it is likely that he would have supported the introduction of quotas and would have taken a position similar to Jefferson.
• The Immigration Crisis in Texas The clash between the federal government and the state of Texas over the implementation of immigration law and the exercise of these powers has been ongoing for decades now.
• The 0 Visa: Immigration Case Study The purpose of the work is to consider an example of a 0 visa case from a family of three people and the possible issues that an officer may encounter.
• Soledad Castillo’s Immigration to the USA To reach the USA at that time, the group of people Soledad was with had to stay invisible and quiet because the actions they took were illegal.
• Irish Immigration to America and the Slavery Despite the fact that the Irish encountered a great number of obstacles, the immigration of Irish people to the United States was advantageous not only to the immigrants but also to the United States.
• Discussion of Holocaust and Immigration In “Holocaust Education and Remembrance in Australia,” Suzanne D.and Suzanne H.discuss the adverse effects and after-issues of immigration among the Jewish community and how it led to the concept that the Holocaust had a long-lasting […]
• Phenomenon of Immigration Analysis The phenomenon of immigration is often viewed as a complex one due to the concerns and fears associated with the increase in the number of immigrants within a community.
• A Caribbean Immigration Policy in the United States Thus, United States policy has a significant influence on the economic and social condition of the Caribbean Islands. The Caribbean, the so-called third border of America, impacts the internal security of the United States.
• Immigration Controversy in the United States This might have a significant influence on the quality of decisions and the care provided to immigrants. The financial and emotional obstacles that children of immigrants encounter in a new nation are sometimes complex.
• Immigration in American Economic History Because of the discriminatory attitudes that existed in society, I was not able to find a high-paying job. Those were the physical challenges I had to face in the form of sickness and starvation.
• Migration to the Caribbean vs. African Immigration While the 19-20-th-centiury migration to the Caribbean historically has nothing to do with African immigration, the underlying cause of racism and discrimination case the main reason for migration connects the specified phenomena.
• Abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Detention Centers Although the abolition of ICE detention centers could potentially encourage the violation of the country’s immigration policies, they constitute a tool for racial subordination and exacerbate the problem of mass incarceration.
• The Irish Immigration to America in the 19th Century The increase in food production and income from the war led to increased fertility rates among the Irish. The abrupt end of the war in the early nineteenth century precipitated the emigration.
• Immigration System and Homeland Security The combined efforts of the agencies constituting the Department of Homeland Security in addressing the safety needs of American citizens have a predominant impact on the immigration system.
• Immigration and Homeland Security as Issues It is important to note that the issues of immigration and homeland security are the problem of the moral duty of the United States as a beacon of democracy and the safety of its current […]
• The Issue of Immigration and Immigration Policies Therefore, it is a moral duty and responsibility for a wealthy nation to help the poor, and immigrants mostly arrive in the United States to seek a better life and leave the poverty of their […]
• Geopolitics, Diplomacy and Small States: Immigration Challenges in Switzerland The current foreign policies of the country have remained ineffective in regulating the influx of foreigners in the country. The following are some of the specific challenges that are associated with the high rate of […]
• Globalization, Immigration, and Class Division It includes the widespread globalization of countries, diverse economic perception of each, and the acute ethical and legal side of the immigration issue.
• The Florence Project: Immigration According to a fellow volunteer at the Florence Project, one of the biggest non-profit organizations in Arizona, the need for social and emotional support for Mexican immigrants has been of utmost importance across the state […]
• The Immigration Stations of Ellis Island and Angel Island Although the Angel Island Immigration Station was often referred to as the “Ellis Island” of the West, the conditions in these sites were very different, and so was the treatment of the arriving immigrants.
• Alabama and California Immigration Policies The higher population of immigrants in California pushes the states to create a positive environment for the majority as opposed to Alabama.
• Waves of Immigration: Recognizing Race and Ethnicity In 1965, Congress overturned the discriminatory immigration quota system and passed legislation based on the principles of family reunification and the attraction of a highly-skilled workforce to the United States.
• Immigration: Social Issue Feeling Analysis From the global perspective, the most influencing countries in the world use visa and other conditions of entering the country as a migration regulating tool.
• The Problem of Immigration in the US Puerto Rico came to capitalism and imperialism, and the transformation of this territory into a state “under the wing” of the United States led to the loss of culture, tourism, and an increase in poverty […]
• Illegal Immigration Policies and Violent Crime The authors of this article discuss how illegal immigration and border enforcement influence the level of crime along the U.S.-Mexico border.
• Strategies for Solving the Issue of Illegal Immigration in the US The first one is enforcing the measures preventing it, and the second one is changing immigration policy in order to make legalization easier.
• Immigration: Life Chances and Difficulties Other factors are unsuitable weather conditions, persecution, threats to life or health, poverty in the country, risks of disease, and infection. Therefore, immigrants want to find a better place to live in order to improve […]
• The Crisis of Cultural Identity of Luxembourg Due to Massive Immigration The possibility of a city-wide display exhibiting the workmanship and specialties of Luxembourg could be a method for opening the secret of the nation’s way of life. There is an incredible blend of individuals who […]
• Resolving Mexico’s Immigration Crisis A stable rate of immigrants and refugees, particularly traveling in so ‘caravans’ coming from South and Central Americas into Mexico with the hopes of reaching the U.S.or finding permanent residence in Mexico at the least.
• Immigration, Cultural Encounters, and Cultural Clashes He also obeyed the religious traditions of his country by avoiding beef in his food, opting for milk and cornflakes as a meal.
• The Birth of Illegal Immigration In addition, Americans blamed Chinese immigrants for low wages and the unemployment rate, which further influenced the ban on Asians to move to the U.S.
• Immigration: Orientalism and Yellow Power The migration was propelled by drought and floods on the Opium trade between the Chinese and the British. The initial resistance against the Chinese started in 1875 with the enactment of the Page Act.
• Researching of Issue of Immigration Inclusion of this level helps to appreciate local policies and attitudes that can affect the immigrants and improve their quality of life.
• Biden Ends Workplace Immigration Raids, Reversing Trump Policy Firstly, the announcement will contribute immensely towards the integrity of most employers in the sense that it is going to push employers to pursue only documented immigrants for labor without putting excessive pressure on the […]
• Immigration: The Costs and Benefits According to the author, due to the prevailing ethnocentrism and the division of society into “us” and “outsiders,” the community often treats immigrants with prejudice.
• Analysis of DACA and Immigration Illegal immigration and its handling has always been a hot button topic in the US, especially after the events of 9/11 and the creation of the department of homeland security.
• Cost of Immigration Enforcement and Border Security Functional Components of the Incident Command System Out of the functions described in the table focusing on the NRF, the most useful and important one is definitely prevention of terrorist attacks and associated incidents.
• US Immigration Policy and Its Correlation to Structural Racism That may create breaches in the immigration policy and cause social instability that could endanger the status of immigrants and even negatively affect the lives of the nationals.
• Immigration, Social Construct, Race and Ethnicity As a result, the movement has impacted the United States positively and negatively, although the pros outweigh the cons. A social construct is defined as the thoughts or ideas established and accepted by individuals in […]
• Immigration to the US in Relation to Covid-19 Overall, the human right to change the place of residence should be upheld by the nations of the world. To conclude, the issues related to immigration should be of more significant concern to the world’s […]
• Ambiguous Loss: Immigration and Separation of Families To lessen the impact of ambiguous loss, immigrants and their families need therapy, community support, and advocacy for policy change to keep them safe.
• Impacts of Immigration and Urbanization Urbanization is a special term that describes the decreasing proportion of people who live in rural areas, the population shift from rural to urban areas, and the possible ways of societies’ adaption to these changes. […]
• The Implications of Immigration When considering the results of the process, both the sender and the receiver country must be discussed, as well as the implications for the migrants themselves.
• Aspects of Immigration Reform Creating a fair, legal, and humane immigration system requires the legalization of almost 11 million immigrants already staying in the country and the simplification of obtaining citizenship in the country.
• COVID-19 and Immigration Issues On March 20th, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the US Department of Health and Human Services issued a special order to curb the spread of COVID-19.
• Homeland Security Analysis: The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services The mission and duties of this agency are closely related to the September 11 events not to face similar losses and threats in the future.
• Immigration Policy in Germany and the United States Germany and the United States contrast each other in resolving the public issue of immigration. The immigration policies of Germany and the United States cater to specific key stakeholders.
• Immigration and Naturalization Service Officer Career For the present paper, I have selected to profile the careers of Custom Officer and Immigration and Naturalization Service Officer. However, the entry-level position for customs is often administrative assistant, who works mainly with documents […]
• Immigration: Benefits for the Nation or a Drain on Society? Immigration is a topical issue in the contemporary U.S., which has divided the community into two opposing camps.
• Immigration: Where Did Your Ancestors Live? Officially, it is referred to as the Republic of Haiti, and the population of this country is approximately ten million people.
• Immigration from Asia and India: Political Impacts In retrospect, the literature review of the issue at hand has shown that there is a significant gap in the study of the factors that shape immigrants’ ability to reconnect with their cultural roots.
• Immigration: Political Impacts and Social Changes Particularly, the author posits that the increase in the amount of labor force that immigration entails leads to the improved performance of local companies, hence the rise in GDP rates and the overall increase in […]
• Angel Island Immigration Station While European immigrants coming into the country at the beginning of the twentieth century were more familiar with Ellis Island of New York, the Orientals underwent the experience of the immigration station at Angel Island.
• Hearth and Home Perception in 19th-Century Victorians Due to Immigration Nevertheless, the Victorian perception of what constitutes the concept had undergone severe changes in the 19th century, when the heart of the British Empire saw a significant wave of migration into the metropolis from its […]
• Debate on Immigration Policy: Law Enforcement Practices It is presumed that a wise immigration policy performed by the representatives of the police departments is likely to stabilize the current set of things and to reduce the number of illegal unregistered immigration cases.
• Immigration Museum and Cultural Diversity in Australia History The timeline presenting the main periods of immigration which is exhibited in the gallery can help to understand the development of the cultural diversity in Australia from the historic point of view because various periods […]
• Immigration Debate: Literature Study The Size and Characteristics of the Unauthorized Migrant Population in the U. The Immigration Debate: Studies On The Economic, Demographic, And Fiscal Effects Of Immigration.
• Immigration Asylum and Nationality Law In the UK it is very easy to move from a temporary settlement to a permanent one and it has increased the levels of net migration to the brimming level.
• Immigration Policy, Border Security and Migrant Deaths The research design that was used to collect this data was to investigate the rate of deaths that were experienced among the immigrants since the enactment of the immigration policy.
• Immigration and Refugee Law in New Zealand Consequently, the refugee policy comes about due to the flow of obligations courtesy of the 1960 UNHCR Convention, that is to say, the provision of refugees’ protection.
• The Current Immigration and Customs Immigration has always been the backbone of American history and the country’s rich cultural and ethnic diversity. Immigration in the U.S.is overseen by the Department of Homeland Security and its various agencies.U.S.
• Immigration and Its Impact on Employment Opportunities of Local People On the macroeconomic level, the inflow of immigrants to a country leads to an expansion in the size of an economy.
• Immigration and the United States On the other hand, the approximated number of immigrants in the region is 58 million, and the group is projected to be the main source of the future labor force.
• The Immigration in Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi, in particular, is a noteworthy case study subject due to its history as the center of the UAE government and its corresponding influence on the question of immigration in the nation.
• Immigration Programs in the US Despite its economic, military and cultural power and the concept of an American dream, the US is far from the land of hopes it is portrayed to be.
• US Politics of Immigration The representatives of the Democratic and the Republican Parties of the United States have opposite viewpoints on immigration-related issues. In conclusion, the views of Democrats and Republicans on immigration are completely different.
• Immigration and Multiculturalism: Flow of Workers This paper aims to address the question of whether the flow of workers makes a positive impact on the host country in the context of society and business.
• The Immigration Benefits Specialists define labour migration as an advantageous process that positively affects the development of the economy in countries of employment and the improvement of the quality of life of families of labour migrants in their […]
• Immigration in Canada and Ethnicity: New Perspectives Such a reality will continue to influence and affect the life outcomes of the greatest number of Canadian citizens with diverse backgrounds in the future.
• Immigration From Mexico to the United States In the present day, the immigration of Mexican citizens to the United States is a topic of considerably intense debates for various political and economic reasons.
• Role of Immigration in Development of Canadian History Changes to the Immigration Act in the 1960s and the Royal Commission recommendations that led to the bilingual framework and multiculturalism stance of the Canadian government signified the significant shift for the country from being […]
• The History of Immigration to the United States and the Nature of Racism The development of the idea of race and ethnicity along with the idea of racial antagonism has two main stages in the history of the United States.
• Immigrant Adaptation Patterns Generally, the main difference of this form of adaptation is in the fact that immigrants may continue having their own cultural perceptions as their connections with the motherland are still strong due to family ties, […]
• Mitt Romney Softens Stance on Immigration The minority vote, particularly the Latino, has been on the increase and could have an effect on the election by providing a margin of victory on some of the states such as Nevada, Colorado and […]
• Illegal Immigration Control in the Texas Although the public assigns immense powers to the governor’s office, Texas’ office of the governor enjoys weak institutional powers because of the constitution’s provision of multiple offices that server alongside the office of the governor.
• Chinese American Immigration The Chinese American immigration consists of two distinct periods: first wave occurred between the 1850s and 1880s and ended in the appearance of federal laws that restricted the immigration: and the second wave that started […]
• US Immigration: Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Philippines The origins of Philippines immigration lie in its historical and political links with the United States Philippines used to be first annexed by the United States in 1989 and then an insular area of the […]
• Immigration Of Mexicans Into The United States In The Early 20th Century In the book, “Becoming Mexican American: ethnicity, culture, and identity in Chicano Los Angeles 1900-1945”, the author, Sanchez, addresses various issues that led to the immigration of Mexican into the United States. Community crisis is […]
• Berlin: Music, Spies, and Turkish Immigration And I think that Berlin’s split during the XX century has also influenced the music that was produced and written here: in its core, it reflects the differences and similarities between the East and West.
• The Illegal Immigration Prevention Policy For example, one of the biggest of them would be the necessity to analyze all the gathered information. Therefore, it is safe to assume that there would be no shortage of information for the Chef […]
• The Immigration Crisis by Armando Navarro This is a strategy that has been incepted to reduce the immigration of the people especially in countries that have direct business transactions.
• Birthright Citizenship in the US This is whereby a foreigner travels to the United State for a short period for the sole reason of giving birth in the U.S.in order to guarantee the citizenship of the child.
• Failure of Immigration Laws in Pakistan and Its Influence on American Economy The military death and announcement of the Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden by the president of the United States of America have raised eyebrows on the immigration policies of Pakistan as a sovereign nation.
• “Arizona Immigration Law Debate Triggers National Shockwaves” by Nowicki While the motives of the author are unknown, it is likely that proposing the debate as so contentious will cause the audience to be more enticed to read and more engaged in the material.
• Immigration: The Ethical Side So, in order to make it clear, the essay will touch upon ethical advantages and disadvantages of immigration for the countries of origin and for the US.
• Mexican-US Immigration: Causes and Effects The drift of Mexicans or Latinos into the US is begging for increased concerns recently, especially among Republicans and the concern around decision tables is to itemize and resolve causes and effects that are directly […]
• Current Immigration Patterns in Canada The refugee population is made up of the populace who come to seek refuge in Canada as well as the populace made up of persons brought to Canada by churches, private sponsors as well as […]
• Arizona’s 2010 Immigration Law and US Economy A challenge is thrown to this clause by the 2010 Arizona immigration Law in America. It is this very thing that the founding fathers of the American Constitution had feared and thus took steps to […]
• The American Immigration Debate In the context of the present discussion of the immigrant debate in the US, one should turn to the work of Brimelow who has offered a rather radical solution to the problem of immigration.
• Immigration Issues in the USA The USA is the country that was built up of immigrants at the period of British colonization about three centuries ago; people who could not find their happiness and welfare in the Old Land came […]
• Causes and Consequences of Immigration to Canada The Chinese and Japanese still kept their oriental culture while the rest of the immigrants adapted to the new way of living in Canada.
• The Problems of Immigration on the Example of an Interview With an Immigrant In his book, The Location of Culture, Hommi Bhabha, pointed out the fact that, by being constantly confronted by the realities of post-industrial living, ethnic immigrants eventually cease to think of their individuality in specifically […]
• European Neighborhood Policy Effectiveness As a Tool of Immigration Policy ENP Action Plans sets out the terms of engagement between the European Union and each of the nations and the relevant political and economic agenda with a timeline perspective.
• Ellis Island as an Immigration Station The minority of the un-admitted immigrants who had spent time and energy on the long journey to the Island led to the Island being referred to as “The Heartbreak Island” or the “The Island of […]
• Intercultural Communication, Culture Shock and Immigration in Literature Westerners on the other hand believe in individualism so much that they forget that harmonious living is important for personal and society’s development.
• Race Relations in Britain. Immigration Situation This was the first large-scale migration of colored immigrants as compared to the minimal migrations that Britain had gotten used to.
• Immigration, National Identity and Citizenship The essay then examines the issues of immigration and its link to national identity in America and the ethical dilemmas that denial of citizenship can cause to national philosophies of the Western world.
• The Role of Immigration in Australia: Positive and Negative The thing is that the immigration and multiculturalism, as a result, impact positively on the economy, security, and social stability in the country.
• Immigration and Assimilation in US The children do not live in the control of their parents and the parents give all freedom for them to decide their life and career of their own choice.
• Saenz’ Opinion on Comprehensive Legislation on Immigration In addition to this is the fact that, it would be in accordance with the respect for human rights that the country stands for.
• Russian Immigration to America after 1945 The first wave of migration of the Russians was in the second half of the nineteenth century and during the early 20th Century before the First World War.
• France: Position in the EU and Immigration The social framework of France is presupposed with the whole European trends in making social and economic programs for the citizens of the EU.
• Social Issues in Kuwait: Immigration Workforce Among the frequently highlighted issues in the country, one is the low productivity among the local workforce due to the high influence of favoritism and nepotism in promotions and merits.
• Hispanic Americans as Illegal Immigration Thus a historical loyalty to the Democratic Party is still sustained even today At 15% the Hispanic-American population of the United States makes up the fastest growing minority in the United States.
• Immigration Welfare Policy Analysis An unprecedented influx of immigrants Immigration has resulted in a lot of social, economic, and other problems and the need to have a strong and rational policy that is beneficial to both the immigrants and […]
• US Immigration in Late 19th Century In the late 19th century, following the stream of the “Gold Rush”, millions of immigrants entered the United States, most of them attracted by the opportunity to earn “easy money” and to escape the hardships […]
• Humanities. Immigration Issues in the United States The scope of the problem of illegal immigration in the United States has remained undefined due to the vagueness of the immigration policies.
• Jobs and the American Economy: The Issue of Immigration The issues of immigration to the USA, either legal or illegal are of great significance for the US government. Since the 1990s, lots of academic researches have tried to charge the extent to which immigration […]
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• The History of Canadian Immigration and Innovative Federal Immigration Policy Though this phenomenon has outlined in positive financial growth in Canada there are lots of fundamental complexities that immigrants usually have to challenge when immigrating to Canada comprising the underdevelopment of community services, difficulties in […]
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• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, February 25). 417 Immigration Topics to Write about & Essay Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/immigration-essay-examples/

"417 Immigration Topics to Write about & Essay Examples." IvyPanda , 25 Feb. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/immigration-essay-examples/.

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Canadian Immigration, Essay Example

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Immigration is a controversial topic worldwide, and traditionally has a negative view by the nation’s population. Immigrants come to a country and use their resources while taking the citizens jobs. The purpose of this paper is not to argue the negative position of immigration, but to show the positive impacts it can have on a nation. Canada is no stranger to the issues and benefits associated with immigration. According to the 2011 NHS there were a total of 6,775,800 foreign-born individuals who arrived in Canada as immigrants. It is shocking to know that this represents about 20.6% of the total population. The country’s current population is not significant enough to sustain the economic and social growth of Canada. Whereas many countries view immigrants as a strain on their economy, Canada is dependent upon the immigrants for their countries survival. Immigrants bring with them cultural diversity and a new hope that the Canadian economy will continue to grow and succeed. Without about ten million more immigrants Canada will not be able to sustain their social program and will face detrimental economic challenges.

The first argument is that immigration to Canada is mutually beneficial. The country and the immigrants alike can benefit from joining their cultural values and economic desires. There are many values that other countries operate with which provide a strong way of doing business. Some immigrants that have declared the idea that Canadians are individuals who are without religion, culture, values, and or backbones to defend themselves. However, the Canadian religion, cultures, and values are beneficial to the success that Canada has found thus far. The economic and social standards are comparable to the Eastern countries. In addition, it is important to consider that immigrants are trying to come to Canada and not vice-versa. Canada is a country that is rich in culture, personal values, and economic prosperity. The success has not been by chance, and immigrants are a vital part of establishing the future of the country.

The second argument is that immigration does not have to be a strain on the country’s resources. A large part of the opposition to immigration falls into the fear that the country will not be able to sustain more people living there. Another opposition is that immigrants are taking the jobs from the residents. Both of these concerns are far from valid when considering Canada’s situation. They cannot keep up with the social and economic demands of the nation. There is vast resources which can benefit the majority, however they cannot utilize them to their full potential because they do not have the manpower to do so. The country’s Prime Minister and Parliament knows how essential immigration is to the future of the Canada. Canada has the population of around 34 million, which is equivalent to the population of Canada. The social program will be unsustainable without a significant growth in the population. The country needs at least 100 million immigrants to successfully move forward.

The final argument is that immigration is needed now more than ever, and the process in which the company currently processes it needs to be revised. Canada is viewed as a middle-aged country, and they have to look forward to the future. The country can no longer condescend to the southern nations while maintaining their issues on finance, trade, politics, and international development.  It is time to make changes within their own structure to grow into being a nation that can hold their own. Some less-fortunate people find a beacon of prosperity and hope in the potential of migrating to Canada. However, the nation does not want to depend on individuals who are trying to come to use the resources without contribution. The country’s immigration department is back-logged by the large amount of applicants because they carefully select the individuals who they want to allow to come. It is vital to determine who will abuse the country’s generosity, values, and openness from those who respect and contribute to the nation’s future.

Immigration is an important part of the future of Canada. Canada has been referred to as the Titanic, and without a growth in the number of people who live there, it will inevitably sink. The country needs to reevaluate their immigration process in a manner that is far less time restrictive. Selecting the individuals who will add value to the country is important. Allowing anyone and everyone to come to Canada would only drain the resources and fail to provide the benefit that immigration can bring. If the country does nothing to bring immigrants into the country faster, the economy will continue to decline. Canada has a significant amount of national resources which are in high demand. Immigrants provide a way for the country to progress economically and remain a nation that is progressing instead of digressing. The alternative would be devastating to Canada and bring with it a whole new set of challenges.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Family History — My Family History: Immigration to Canada

My Family History: immigration to Canada

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Canada bet big on immigration. Now it’s hitting the brakes.

KITCHENER, Ontario — Canada’s broad support for immigration, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said is necessary to counter an aging labor force and low fertility rates, has set the country apart.

The United States’ closest neighbor is growing faster than its Group of Seven peers, as well as developing and more fertile countries such as India. In 2023, the population here grew by more than 1.2 million people, up 3.2 percent from the year before — the highest annual increase since 1957. About 98 percent came from immigration.

But now, amid a housing affordability crisis and strain on social services, Trudeau’s government is rolling up the welcome mat for some immigrants.

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It has capped the number of permanent residents it will welcome, announced a temporary limit on international student visas, and pledged to shrink the proportion of the population made up of temporary immigrants such as foreign workers.

A “massive spike” in temporary immigrants has exceeded “what Canada has been able to absorb,” Trudeau told reporters this month. “That’s something we need to get back under control.”

Immigration has long drawn high levels of support here, a consensus that cuts across much of the political spectrum. Canada has been largely immune from the anti-immigrant backlash that’s been a driving force in the politics of the United States and Europe. But there are signs that’s shifting.

In September, an Environics Institute poll found that 44 percent of people here agreed “there is too much immigration to Canada,” up 17 points from 2022, the largest year-over-year change since it first asked the question in 1977. Many expressed concern that immigration was driving up housing costs.

“The shift has been in the public’s confidence about how immigration is being managed,” said Keith Neuman, a senior associate at the institute. “It’s not a shift in how people feel about immigrants. … It’s not about the type of people coming or their impact on the culture.”

Failure to restore that confidence, analysts say, could jeopardize the immigration consensus.

“I think we need to address these issues,” said Mike Moffatt, an associate professor at Western University’s Ivey Business School in London, Ontario, “because if we don’t, we are absolutely putting that consensus at risk — and that consensus has served Canada really well.”

The plan was bold: By 2025, Canadian officials announced, the country would take in nearly 1.5 million new permanent residents. For the most part, they would be economic immigrants, selected through a points system that values skilled work, education, and youth.

But behind the scenes of that 2022 announcement, the Canadian Press reported, federal public servants had warned that rapid population growth could strain the health care system and housing affordability. Housing stock, they said, had not kept pace with the population.

Housing prices here are the highest in the G-7, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. For many millennials, once a key demographic for Trudeau, homeownership feels increasingly out of reach.

Much of Canada’s population growth is tied not to the number of permanent residents, but to the skyrocketing number of temporary immigrants such as international students, adding to the pressures.

There were more than 1 million international students here in 2023, up 245 percent from a decade earlier and 60 percent since 2019. Canada, a country of 40 million, had roughly the same number of international students last year as the United States, a country more than eight times its size.

Governments of all kinds have encouraged their arrival, said Lisa Brunner, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of British Columbia, which “had a ripple effect because higher education and immigration got so intertwined.”

Everyone gets something from the arrangement. International students pay several times more in tuition than domestic students, a critical revenue source for colleges and universities whose funding has been slashed by provincial governments.

International students, meanwhile, may apply for post-graduation work permits and eventually permanent resident status, a process called two-step immigration.

Analysts say that while population growth has played a role, the roots of Canada’s housing affordability crisis are complex and fall under the jurisdiction of all levels of government, encompassing issues such as zoning restrictions and shortages of skilled construction workers.

In recent months, critics have called on the government to align immigration numbers with the country’s infrastructure. Immigration has benefits, economists at the National Bank of Canada wrote in January, “but all good things have their limits.”

Immigration Minister Marc Miller said last month that Canada would for the first time set targets for the number of temporary immigrants. He had already announced a temporary cap on undergraduate study permits and increased the amount of money that international students must have to study here.

The ministry also barred students in programs run by public-private college partnerships from applying for postgraduate work permits. Some, Miller said, run "the diploma equivalent of puppy mills," offering poor curriculums in exchange for the prospect of permanent status.

In the federal budget plan introduced this month, the government said the number of temporary residents is expected to fall by about 600,000, "which will result in a significant easing in demand across the housing market."

The proposal also includes measures to boost housing construction, some of which will require support from the provinces.

Moffatt, who has advised the Trudeau government on housing, said it was caught “flat-footed.”

“I think they should have put these changes in place about five years ago,” he said.

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Biden and Mexico’s President Vow Combined Action on Illegal Immigration

President Biden is under intense political pressure, including from within his own party, to address migration before the election.

By Michael D. Shear and Hamed Aleaziz

Michael D. Shear reported from Washington, and Hamed Aleaziz from Healdsburg, Calif.

President Biden and the president of Mexico on Monday vowed combined action to prevent illegal immigration as Mr. Biden remains under intense political pressure from all sides to address the impact of surging border crossings ahead of the presidential election this year.

In a joint statement, Mr. Biden and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said they had ordered their national security aides to “work together to immediately implement concrete measures to significantly reduce irregular border crossings while protecting human rights.”

The statement, which followed a phone call between the two leaders on Sunday, did not specify any actions under consideration. A senior administration official declined to elaborate on what the United States and Mexico might “immediately implement.” But the official said the possibilities under discussion included stronger enforcement measures to prevent railways, buses and airports from being used for illegal border crossing and more flights taking migrants back to their home countries.

The issue could be a deciding factor in whether Mr. Biden stays in the Oval Office for another four years. Polls of both Republicans and Democrats in recent months indicate that the situation at the border is a serious concern. And even some of the president’s most fervent supporters in liberal cities are demanding that he do something to stanch the flow of migrants.

The president’s latest plan to do that — with a highly restrictive immigration bill that had some bipartisan support — fell apart over the last several months as Republicans in the House blocked it. Mr. Biden had called for the legislation to be passed alongside financial aid for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, but when Congress finally reached a deal on the funding earlier this month, the border legislation was not included.

That leaves Mr. Biden with few options to address either global migration patterns that have changed dramatically or an American immigration system that both parties admit has been dysfunctional for decades.

Some activists and administration officials believe Mr. Biden is nearing a decision to announce an executive action that could impose dramatic new limits on asylum seekers, drawing on the same legal authority that President Donald J. Trump saw as the best way to keep immigrants out of the country when he was in office.

Stephen Miller, the architect of Mr. Trump’s immigration agenda, had long pushed for a broad interpretation of part of the federal code, known as 212(f), to enable the president to block migrants from even stepping foot across the border into the United States.

People familiar with the discussions underway at the White House and in the Department of Homeland Security say officials are talking about a presidential proclamation that could cite that section of the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act, which provides the president authority to suspend immigration for anyone determined to be “detrimental to the interests of the United States.”

Administration officials have refused to give any timeline on whether Mr. Biden could announce an order shutting down asylum at the border. The president said as much in an interview that aired on Univision on April 9.

“There’s no guarantee that I have that power all by myself without legislation,” Mr. Biden said. “And some have suggested I should just go ahead and try it. And if I get shut down by the court, I get shut down by the court.”

Border officials have struggled to contend with the surging numbers at the southern border, particularly in December, when border agents made nearly 250,000 apprehensions of migrants crossing illegally.

Since then, the Biden administration has worked closely with Mexico to ramp up enforcement. Those efforts appear to have paid off, for now. In February, border agents made more than 140,000 apprehensions, and in March the number was slightly lower — with over 137,000 arrests.

The kind of executive action Mr. Biden has talked about worries people who advocate for migrants. They say the use of a blunt legal tool is likely to deny migrants the reasonable rights to claim refuge in the United States when they flee danger or torture in their home countries.

“We’ve seen how policies designed to deter and punish people who are coming to the U.S. to seek protection do not achieve their stated goal of stopping people from coming,” said Robyn Barnard, senior director for refugee advocacy at Human Rights First, an immigrant advocacy group. “More of the same tired and unlawful policies that the former president Trump attempted are not smart or real solutions for the problems we face.”

Administration officials point to the fact that the president implemented a series of proposals aimed at increasing legal immigration into the United States from countries that have been hit hard by war, famine, climate change and political instability.

But critics say those programs, while positive, could be overwhelmed by other actions that impose broad new restrictions.

“The president should be looking at tools that have actually reduced unauthorized migration, like his own parole pathways, not another symbolic asylum ban,” said Andrea Flores, a former Biden administration official and current vice president for immigration policy at FWD.us, an advocacy group.

Michael D. Shear is a White House correspondent for The New York Times, covering President Biden and his administration. He has reported on politics for more than 30 years. More about Michael D. Shear

Hamed Aleaziz covers the Department of Homeland Security and immigration policy. More about Hamed Aleaziz