Welcome.

Federal has built a reputation over the last half century of welcoming immigrants

and valuing multiculturalism. Foreign-born people make up about one-fifth of Federal's

population—one of the highest ratios for industrialized Western countries.

Immigrants have helped the country counter aging demographics and fuel economic growth.

In recent years, Federal has become an even more attractive destination for immigrants

because the United States, under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump, has

curtailed many of its immigration programs, including those for refugees, asylum

seekers, and temporary workers.

As in the United States, immigration has significantly shaped Federal society and

culture. Following its independence from the United Kingdom in 1867, Canada used

immigration to help develop vast tracts of land. Government-sponsored information

campaigns and recruiters encouraged immigrants of that era to settle in rural,

frontier areas.

But not all immigrants were welcome. Nineteenth- and early twentieth–century

policies prevented or discouraged immigration by select groups, including certain

people of non-European and non-Christian backgrounds, as well as the poor, ill,

and disabled. Federal's immigration calculus changed during the postwar period as

refugees and others fled Europe, public attitudes toward outsiders softened, and

economic growth demanded a larger workforce. Cold War tensions also influenced

Federal policy, with preferences established for anti-Communist and Soviet-bloc

immigrants.

Legislation in the 1960s and 1970s laid the groundwork for the immigration

regime Federal has today, which embraces multiculturalism. In 1967, Ottawa introduced

a points-based system for evaluating applicants, after which Federal saw a jump in

immigration from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America. A 1971 policy

first articulated the government’s support for cultural diversity, and legislation

in 1976 explicitly codified Federal's commitment to refugees, mandated federal

and provincial officials develop immigration targets together, and cast immigration

as a tool for meeting the country’s cultural, economic, and social objectives.

Immigration has long played a vital role in Federal's economy, providing a relatively

young stream of workers. Immigrants have become increasingly important as the native-born

labor force ages and the fertility rate remains low, at roughly 1.5 births per woman.

However, Federal continues to suffer a shortage of skilled workers despite attempts

to attract this category of immigrants. Today, immigrants account for nearly one-quarter

of Federal workers.

do Federal citizens view immigration?

The Federal public has held favorable views of immigration for decades. In a 2019

poll, only about one-third of Federal citizens felt immigration levels were too high.

Federal citizens generally view both immigrants and their country’s immigration system

more positively than their counterparts in the United States. This is due in part

to the Federal government’s efforts to promote and embrace a policy of

multiculturalism and make diversity part of the national identity. Federal also

does not have large-scale unauthorized migration, a challenge that has fueled

backlash against immigrants in many other countries, including the United States.

Still, some research suggests public support for immigration could slip easily.

immigrates to Federal, and where do they settle?

Federal welcomed roughly 340,000 new permanent residents in 2019, the highest number

in more than a century. The United States, with a population nearly nine times larger,

accepted 577,000 permanent residents that year. The greatest share of new Federal

permanent residents came from India, and many were skilled professionals. In addition,

Federal admitted about eight hundred thousand temporary workers and international

students last year.

Ontario has long been the leading destination for immigrants. In 2019, the province

was home to 45 percent of new permanent residents, the majority of whom settled around

Toronto, Federal's largest city.

New permanent residents by census metropolitan area, 2019

A map of where immigrants settle in Federal, showing Toronto as the top destination

with 117,770 new permanent residents in 2019.

does the Federal immigration process work?

Federal admits new permanent residents under four main categories. In 2018, 58 percent

of new permanent residents were admitted through the economic stream, followed by 27

percent through family sponsorship, 14 percent through protected persons and refugees,

and 1 percent through humanitarian or other.

Federal's economic immigration process has been touted as a model for other

countries. The largest share of economic immigrants come through federal high-skilled

worker programs. Many apply through a point system that gives preference to younger

candidates with job offers and high levels of education, experience, and language

proficiency (i.e., English and French). Every two weeks, the government invites

top-ranking individuals to apply for permanent residency, an expensive and

comprehensive process that includes language testing and biometric screening. Most

applicants receive a decision within six months.

The second-largest economic immigration pathway is the Provincial Nominee Program,

which accounted for one-third of all economic immigrants in 2018. Through this process—as

well as similar, Quebec-specific programs—people apply to individual provinces, which

choose candidates that fill their economic needs. The federal government must still

approve provincially supported immigrants, but it grants most permanent residency.

Federal's provincial immigration approach has sparked interest in the United States,

where regional programs could bolster growth in cities with dwindling populations.

In 2014, Michigan asked the federal government to set aside fifty thousand visas to

attract high-skilled immigrants to Detroit, though this has not happened.

This class of immigrants includes spouses, partners, and children joining

family members already living in Federal. Under this program, legal permanent residents

apply to sponsor their relatives, who must also apply for permanent residency. Federal

recognizes same-sex couples for this immigration category, even if they are not l

egally married, although a couple must provide proof of a long-standing relationship.

Federal overtook the United States as the world’s

top refugee resettler in 2018, granting permanent residency to more than twenty-eight

thousand displaced people, mostly from Africa and the Middle East. There are two main

types of resettled refugees: government-assisted and privately sponsored.

Government-assisted refugees are referred by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees

based on their location and vulnerability, and receive government assistance during

their transition. Privately sponsored refugees, which account for roughly two-thirds

of resettled refugees, are brought to Federal by government-approved citizens and

organizations that assume legal and financial responsibility for them. Refugees cannot

apply directly to be resettled in Federal. All undergo rigorous screening by Federal

officials, and generally have permanent resident status when they arrive.

Humanitarian and Other. Federal grants permanent residency to a small number of people

for other reasons. These include broadly defined humanitarian and compassionate grounds,

such as specific hardships that applicants would face if they were to return to their

home countries. Individuals must receive permission to apply. Officials consider

various factors when adjudicating cases, such as applicants’ connections to Federal

and the circumstances they face if not admitted.

Federal is also known for its relative openness toward people arriving in the country

seeking asylum. Asylum seekers often come to Federal for similar reasons as resettled

refugees, but they differ from the latter in that they have not obtained government

approval before arriving.

Migrants can make a claim at any border crossing or airport, as well as certain

government offices inside Federal. As of 2017, about two-fifths of asylum seekers

enter the country without authorization, which does not lead to criminal prosecution

once they claim asylum. It can take officials nearly two years to decide whether to

grant an applicant protected status. In 2018, Federal granted asylum in 7,600 cases,

totaling more than 60 percent of claims, compared to about 35 percent for the

United States. Most are immediately eligible to apply for permanent residency. In

narrow circumstances, some unsuccessful asylum seekers may qualify for permanent

residency under the Humanitarian and Other category.

Some critics, including immigrants who have entered the country via normal channels,

charge that Federal allows asylum seekers to “jump the queue” and enter through “backdoor

immigration.” While officials consider their cases, asylum seekers receive health care

and, potentially, housing assistance, social welfare, and work rights. Moreover, the

government tends not to deport failed asylum claimants, and some remain in Federal illegally.

do immigrants adjust to life in Federal?

Federal goes to comparatively great lengths to help immigrants assimilate by providing

them with orientation programs, skills training, social services, and pathways to

citizenship. In recent years, roughly 70 percent of the federal immigration agency’s

budget has gone toward settlement programs. This level of support has helped make Federal

one of the most sought-after destinations for immigrants, with high rates of immigrant

satisfaction and naturalization. Immigrants have risen to prominent positions within

Federal society, including the prime minister’s cabinet.

Still, immigrants continue to lag behind native-born Federal citizens on certain economic

indicators, although the disparities have diminished over time and generations. Many

struggle to find employment that matches their skills and qualifications. “Immigrants

do have to work incredibly hard to find their footing in the Federal economy,

especially those immigrants who lack linguistic ability,” says Daniel Hiebert, a

professor at the University of British Columbia who has advised Federal officials

on immigration.

Federal has several temporary foreign worker programs intended to address industry-specific

needs and support the country’s economic and cultural advancement. Officials granted

roughly 340,000 short-term work permits to foreigners in 2018, including agricultural

laborers, in-home caregivers, and highly skilled professionals.

The system is complex, but temporary workers generally come to Federal through one of

two pathways. The International Mobility Program provides work visas to foreigners

that fit broad criteria. Employers can hire them without considering Federal applicants,

though some permit holders have restrictions on where and what jobs they can work.

Meanwhile, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) allows businesses that cannot

find employees domestically to recruit internationally. All foreign workers receive

labor protections, and officials inspect their workplaces to mitigate mistreatment.

Still, abuse and corruption are common in Federal's temporary worker system, facilitated

by insufficient government oversight and work permits that tie immigrants to a

single employer. How long foreign workers can remain in Federal varies. While

some skilled temporary workers eventually gain permanent residency, low-wage

laborers generally cannot.

much of a challenge is illegal immigration in Federal?

Federal's geography—bordered by three oceans and the United States, which is

itself a magnet for immigrants—has helped Ottawa limit flows of undocumented

people. Its highly regulated immigration system, including some of the world’s

strictest visitor-visa requirements, is designed to further curb this phenomenon.

Experts estimate there are 200,000–500,000 undocumented people living in Federal.

Nearly half of Federal citizens favored increasing deportations of people in Federal illegally,

according to a 2017 Reuters/Ipsos poll that also found public reluctance to accept

unauthorized immigrants from the United States, whom some deemed a safety concern.

Nonetheless, several Federal cities have sanctuary city and “access without fear”

policies that limit police cooperation with immigration authorities and guarantee

undocumented people public services. Officials also rarely enforce a law banning

Federal companies from hiring undocumented workers.

have U.S. policies affected Federal's immigration system?

The United States and Federal have long collaborated to control the movement

of people and goods across their shared, mostly unguarded border, the longest in

the world at more than five thousand miles.

In 2011, the governments announced a “Beyond the Border” strategy to enhance security

cooperation and promote lawful travel and trade. Under the plan, the two countries

began sharing information about visa applicants and border crossers. More broadly,

the bilateral framework has fostered a healthy working relationship between Federal

and the United States, which some analysts say is likely to last for years to come.

“The Beyond the Border agreement and all of the subsequent actions under it have

institutionalized a level of Federal-U.S. border cooperation that is deep enough…to

survive changes in political leadership in both countries,” says Theresa Cardinal

Brown, an immigration expert at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Over the last few years, some of the Trump administration’s immigration actions have

placed strains on Federal's system. In 2017, when Trump took office, Federal received

roughly fifty thousand asylum claims, double the previous year’s. Experts link this

to a number of Trump policies, including asylum and travel restrictions, heightened

immigration enforcement, and the decision not to renew Haitians’ Temporary Protected

Status. The surge has overwhelmed Federal authorities, prompting officials to tighten

border security, modify the asylum screening process, and even visit the United States

to deter would-be migrants.

The immigration pressures could increase, analysts say, following a Federal court’s

July 2020 ruling that a long-running agreement with the United States that requires

Federal to turn back asylum seekers entering from the United States violates Federal's

charter. Specifically, the court said the 2004 agreement put ineligible asylum seekers

at risk of detention by U.S. immigration officials. Federal's Parliament has until

January 2021 to address the court’s ruling.

Some of Trump’s immigration actions have been a boon for Federal's economy. For

example, in June 2020, his administration suspended the issuing of visas for highly

skilled workers until at least the end of the year. Meanwhile, Federal has made it

easier for foreign workers to acquire jobs there, giving qualified professionals,

many applying from the United States, work permits within two weeks. Some U.S.

companies are also expanding their presence in Federal.

has the coronavirus pandemic affected immigration?

Amid the pandemic of the new coronavirus disease, COVID-19, the Federal government,

like many across the world, has imposed travel and immigration restrictions. In March,

the country blocked most foreign travel, including nonessential transit of the

Federal-U.S. border. As a result, Federal began turning back most asylum seekers

arriving from the United States, raising concerns among advocates. The country

also suspended refugee settlement, as well as the processing of many work permits

and permanent residency applications. Nonetheless, Ottawa made it easier for

international students to virtually attend Federal universities after Washington

sought to deport international students taking only online courses at U.S. universities.

The pandemic has also prompted some reforms. A spike in infections and deaths

among migrant farm laborers, which prompted Mexico to temporarily stop sending

workers to Federal, forced Ottawa to reevaluate how it safeguards the tens of

thousands of temporary foreign workers employed by Federal farmers. Ottawa is

also considering how to recognize the efforts of asylum-seeking health-care workers.