The Canadian Immigration System: Some History, Facts & Stats Foster 2009 The Canadian Immigration System: Some History, Facts & Stats All information adapted from ‘the public policy framework- fostering immigration’, York University, 2012

Brainstorm Why does Canada need immigrants?

We need them possibly because… Supplement populations low natural increase rate Replace Canadians who leave & work abroad Increase the supply of skilled workers Enrich our culture Aid our economy- let in rich immigrants Help those in need Do you agree with these reasons? Lets examine a little history, some facts & some stats…

A Little History on Canadian Immigration Policy: “When I speak of quality, I have in mind something that is quite different from what is in the mind of the average writer or speaker upon the question of immigration. I think of a stalwart peasant in a sheep-skin coat, born on the soil, whose forefathers have been farmers for generations, with a stout wife and half-a-dozen children, is good quality.” Sir Clifford Sifton, 1922

The beginning: 1867 –1913 Main goals 1. Securing farmers from Western Europe 2. Settle Western Canada with farmers The highest levels ever: 330,000 in 1911 and 400,000 in 1913. 3. Keep out the Chinese Head tax on Chinese immigrants $100 then $500 then outlawed in 1923

"The Last, Best West"

Chinese Head Tax Certificate

A slow evolution in policy Post WW1- Government openly publishes that it has preference for Western European immigrants 1930’s- depression= no immigration Post WWII- displaced persons & family reunification 1952: New Immigration Act refusal of admission based on: “the grounds of nationality, ethnic group, geographical area of origin, peculiar customs, habits and modes of life, unsuitability with regard to the climate, probable inability to become readily assimilated.” -Public Policy Framework, York University, 2012

Postwar Immigration Policy "The policy of the government is to foster the growth of the population of Canada by the encouragement of immigration. The government will seek by legislation, regulation and vigorous administration, to ensure the careful selection and permanent settlement of such numbers of immigrants as can be advantageously absorbed in our national economy. It is a matter of domestic policy [...] The people of Canada do not wish as a result of mass immigration to make a fundamental alteration in the character of our population. Large scale immigration from the Orient would change the fundamental composition of the Canadian population" – William Lyon MacKenzie King.

Lose the Racism- 1960’s 1962: Canada abandoned its all White racist immigration policy -Admission to be based on individual personal characteristics; not nationality 1967: Point system created to facilitate and encourage the flow of skilled migrants

Immigration in Canada Today: Components of Immigration Intake Family Reunification Members of the Family Class Humanitarian Convention Refugees; Members of Designated Classes; Persons eligible under special humanitarian measures Economic Business Immigrants: Entrepreneurs Self-employed persons Investors Retirees

Canadian Immigration in 2005: By Admissible Category Economic 56.1% Family 28.5% Refugee 12.8% Other 2.6% Total Number of Immigrants 262,157 (100%)

Selection Grid for Economic Immigrants (Point System) Factor One: Education Maximum 25 Factor Two: Official Languages Maximum 24 1st Official Language Maximum 16 2nd Official Language Maximum 8 Factor Three: Experience Maximum 21 Factor Four: Age Maximum 10 Factor Five: Arranged Employment in Canada Factor Six: Adaptability Total Maximum 100 Passing Mark 67

Selection Factor: Adaptability Factor Six: Adaptability Maximum 10 points Spouse’s or common-law partner’s education 3 - 5 Minimum one year full-time authorized work in Canada 5 Minimum two years full-time authorized post-secondary study in Canada Have received points under the Arranged Employment in Canada factor Family relationship in Canada

Annual Distribution of Permanent Residents By Source Area 1997-2006 (%) In the 1950s, 84.6% of immigrants were European by birth By the mid 1980s immigrants born in Europe slipped to 28.6% Now its about 15% Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada 2007, 27. Source Area 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Africa and the Middle East 18.9 20.0 18.8 19.0 20.6 21.8 21.2 22.0 19.7 Asia and Pacific 53.4 47.1 49.8 52.7 52.3 50.8 49.9 47.2 51.4 48.4 South and Central America 7.6 6.9 7.5 8.0 8.9 9.2 9.1 9.5 Total for the Above 79.9 74.7 76.2 78.6 80.4 80.6 80.0 78.4 80.2 79.7 United States 2.1 2.5 2.7 2.4 2.6 3.2 3.5 4.4 Europe and UK 18.0 22.7 21.1 19.1 17.4 17.2 17.3 18.4 16.4 15.8 TOTAL 100.0

Canadian Immigration Source Countries 2005 Number of Immigrants China 42,291 India 33,146 Philippines 17,525 Pakistan 13,576 United States 9,262 Columbia 6,031 United Kingdom 5,865 South Korea 5,819 Iran 5,502 France 5,430 Romania 4,964 Sri Lanka 4,690 Russia 3,607 Taiwan 3.092 Hong Kong 1,784 Yugoslavia (Former) 272 Top 10 Source Counties 144,447 Other 117,789 Total 262,236

Where do Permanent Residents settle in Canada? Province/Territory 2005 % Nova Scotia 1,929 0.7% Other Atlantic Provinces* 1,918 Quebec 43,308 16.5% Ontario 140,533 53.6% Manitoba 8,097 3.1% Saskatchewan 2,106 0.8% Alberta 19,399 7.4% British Columbia 44,767 17.1% Territories** 160 0.06% Provinces/Territories not stated 19 >0.001% Total 262,236 * Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island ** Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut

Salary Gap Disparity in median incomes among recent immigrants Recent Immigrants from 2001 to 2006 University educated, $26,301 Non-university educated, $19,280 Immigrants from 2000 and before: University educated, $37,647 Non-University educated, $29,301 Canadian-born: University educated, $57,695 Non-university educated, $39,586.

Brainstorm… Is immigration good for Canada? Why/why not?

Canadian Multicultural Policy Introduced 1971, law in 1988 Immigrants encouraged to keep cultural heritage Allocated federal funds to ethnic groups to help them preserve their culture

Brainstorm… Is our multiculturalism policy good for Canada? Why/why not?