Immigration An Introduction to Immigration in Canada

True or False:  Immigrant take jobs away from Canadians  FALSE: Studies have shown that immigrants create more jobs than take away Many newcomers are self-employed and those who are not employed in their profession or trade usually have enough money to support themselves until they find a job

True or False:  Canada does not need immigrants  FALSE Canada does need immigrants Canada’s birthrate is far too low Close to 100,000 people leave Canada each year, many heading to the US The average family only has 1.7 children, this means that Canadians don’t produce enough children to replace themselves Canada needs at least 200,000 newcomers a year to keep the population stable

True or False:  There is no discrimination in Canada  FALSE Unfortunately, many employers require “Canadian Experience” which puts new immigrants at a disadvantage

True or False  Immigrants are unskilled and uneducated  FALSE Most newcomers are highly educated Immigrants are twice as likely to have gone to university as people born in Canada The majority of immigrants enter Canada through the independent category, which means they are carefully chosen through a point system

True or False:  Immigrants are less likely to commit crimes  TRUE The crime rate for newcomers is about half the rate for Canadians All immigrants must pass criminal screening before they are allowed to enter Canada

Why do Immigrants Come to Canada? Immigrants come to Canada because of PUSH and PULL factors

PUSH FACTORS Conditions that drive people to leave their homes Examples: No work or jobs in home country Political and/or religious persecution Poverty

PULL FACTORS: Conditions that attract people to a new area Examples: Promise of freedom (religious and political) Hope for a new life Industry Jobs “Streets paved with gold” Better education system

3 Main Classes of Immigrants to Canada: 1.Family Class Immigrants People whose immediate relatives (spouse or children) live in Canada can be sponsored 2.Business Class Immigrants People who want to invest money or open a business in Canada 3.Independent Class Immigrants Independent Class Immigrants have no other ties to Canada, so they need to have an interview and pass the Points System with a minimum of 67 points