The Canadian Immigration System: Some History, Facts

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The Canadian Immigration SystemSome History,
Facts Stats

• All information adapted from the public policy
  framework- fostering immigration, York
  University, 2012

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Brainstorm

• Why does Canada need immigrants?

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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

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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

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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

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"The Last, Best West"

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Chinese Head Tax Certificate
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A slow evolution in policy

• Post WW1- Government openly publishes that it has
  preference for Western European immigrants
• 1930s- 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

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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.

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Lose the Racism- 1960s

• 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

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Immigration in Canada TodayComponents 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
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Canadian Immigration in 2005By Admissible
Category
Economic 56.1
Family 28.5
Refugee 12.8
Other 2.6
Total Number of Immigrants 262,157 (100)
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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 Maximum 10
Factor Six Adaptability Maximum 10
Total Maximum 100
Passing Mark 67
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Selection Factor Adaptability
Factor Six Adaptability Maximum 10 points
Spouses or common-law partners education 3 - 5
Minimum one year full-time authorized work in Canada 5
Minimum two years full-time authorized post-secondary study in Canada 5
Have received points under the Arranged Employment in Canada factor 5
Family relationship in Canada 5
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Annual Distribution of Permanent Residents By
Source Area1997-2006 ()

• 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 21.8
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 7.6 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 2.1 2.1 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 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
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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
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Where do Permanent Residents settle in Canada?
Province/Territory 2005
Nova Scotia 1,929 0.7
Other Atlantic Provinces 1,918 0.7
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 gt0.001
Total 262,236
Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick,
Prince Edward Island Yukon, Northwest Territori
es, Nunavut
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Salary GapDisparity 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.
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Brainstorm
Is immigration good for Canada? Why/why not?
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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

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