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 Immigrants make up 98% of Canadians  This explains why Canada is described as a Multicultural Society  The mix of ethnic groups in different parts of Canada varies widely from province to province  Canada has been receiving immigrants for hundreds of years which has helped to increase Canada’s total population

 Since 1867, the number of immigrants has varied enormously from year to year  In 1913, the annual total of immigrants reached 400,000 people  Recently however, about 200,000 immigrants arrive each year to Canada  These differences can be traced to a variety of political and economic factors both in Canada and the rest of the world

 The major sources of immigrants have changed greatly over the years  In the past, most immigrants came from Europe  Today, most immigrants come from Asian, African, and South American countries  People have come from every part of the world seeking a better life.

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 People become immigrants because of either Push Factors or Pull factors  PUSH FACTOR = Factor such as unemployment or the lack of freedom of speech, that makes people want to leave their country and move to another one  PULL FACTOR = Factor such as freedom of speech or employment opportunities that attract a person to a country.

 Potential immigrants may face intervening obstacles that may discourage or even stop a person from immigrating to another country  These intervening obstacles may include:  Immigration requirements  Distance  Cost of immigration  fear

 There exists an uneven distribution of immigrants within Canada  The provinces of Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec and Alberta remain a favourite destination for immigrants  Most immigrants settle in large cities such as Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal  40% of all immigrants choose Toronto

 These cities have large populations of various cultural groups that can support…  Stores  Entertainment facilities  Religious organizations  Cultural organizations  Other familiar products and services  Employment opportunities

 When someone immigrates to Canada they become a landed immigrant  The Canadian government has strict rules to decide who will be admitted to the country  Without these restrictions, far more people would want to come to Canada than we could accommodate  Landed immigrant – Canadian immigrant with permanent resident status who is not yet a Canadian citizen

 Canada accepts three types of immigrants 1. Independent immigrants 2. Family immigrants 3. refugees

 There are two types of independent immigrants:  Skilled worker  Business class  The Canadian government uses a point system to determine which people should be allowed into Canada

 This category allows Canadian residents (both citizens and landed immigrants) to reunite their families by bringing their close relatives to Canada  Every family immigrant must be sponsored by a relative in Canada  The sponsor agrees to provide housing and other needs for ten years  The risks associated with sponsorship, along with stricter government rules, make it harder to sponsor family members

 A refugee is someone who fears persecution or even death in his/her home country  To be considered a refugee, this persecution must arise for reasons of  Religion  Race/nationality  Political opinion  Membership in a particular group  Natural disasters  Human disasters  Typically, the number of refugees coming to Canada ranges from 24,000 to 32,000 people each year