#ImmigrationMatters: Canada’s immigration track record

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Read what the research says about how Canada’s immigration system works for all of us.

Economy
Health and social services
Security
Settlement
Integration

Immigrants contribute to the economy and create jobs for Canadians

The strength of Canada’s economy is measured in part by the number of people working (known as the labour force) and paying taxes to fund our public services, such as health care.

Canada’s labour force and economy are supported in part by immigration. Canadians are living longer and having fewer children. This is why welcoming immigrants is important in helping employers find qualified workers to fill specific gaps in our labour market. More people are retiring, and there are fewer students in schools. As a result, the pool of existing and potential Canadian-born workers is limited.

Immigrants account for 32% of all business owners with paid staff, creating important local jobs in all sectors of our economy, such as construction, professional services, health care and retail trade.

Supporting our aging population

The income tax paid by those working in Canada pays for health care, education and other vital services. With declining birth rates and a rapidly aging population, Canada will need enough workers to support social services. By 2046, the population aged 85 and older could triple to almost 2.5 million people.

Immigration alone cannot solve the challenge of an aging population, but it can help as we look to keep our economy growing and maintain our commitments to health care, public pensions and other social programs that improve the quality of life of Canadians. Close to two thirds of recent immigrants to Canada are of core working age, which helps rejuvenate Canada’s working population.

Meeting our labour market needs

According to Statistics Canada, in 2021, 44.5% of businesses experienced difficulties finding candidates with the required skills to fill vacant roles. Through systems like Express Entry, candidates are selected based on how they meet an identified economic goal. Currently, Express Entry is looking to fill identified labour gaps in

health care occupations, such as nurses and doctors
science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) occupations, such as data scientists, software developers and electrical engineers
trade occupations such as electricians, carpenters and construction managers
transport occupations, such a truck drivers and pilots
agriculture and agri-food occupations, such as farmers and farm workers

Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute to economic growth by

creating jobs through entrepreneurship
attracting investment to Canada
driving innovation

Many immigrants have knowledge and experience in the STEM fields. In fact, nearly 1.4 million immigrants working in Canada are trained in STEM fields. These skills are important in our knowledge economy.

For immigrants to find meaningful work in Canada, it’s important to make sure their education, training and experience meet Canadian job standards. We are working with employers, provinces and territories to make this happen.

Strengthening temporary residence programs

Temporary foreign workers are an important part of the Canadian workforce. They help employers meet short-term labour needs when qualified Canadians or permanent residents aren’t available.

Temporary workers support the success and growth of many industries, such as agriculture and agri-food, health care and technology.

Enriching Canada’s communities and education system through international students

International students enrich our communities and are a critical part of Canada’s social, cultural and economic fabric. International education is an essential pillar of Canada’s long-term competitiveness. Students from abroad who study in Canada expose Canadians to new cultures and ideas. This stimulates innovation and develops important cross-cultural competencies.

Immigrants deliver and improve our health and social services

According to the 2021 Census, immigrants account for 1 in 4 workers in the health care sector. More than 40% of newcomers to Canada between 2016 and 2021 who were working in the health care sector were employed in the important areas of nursing and residential care facilities, as well as home health care services.

Immigrants are thoroughly screened

We thoroughly screen immigrants before they enter Canada to make sure they have not committed serious crimes, don’t pose a security risk and are in good health.

Settlement service providers help newcomers become familiar with Canadian government, laws and the justice system.

Immigrants who are convicted of a crime risk losing their immigration status and being removed from Canada.

Immigrants settle in communities across the country and support the vitality of our official language minority communities

According to the 2021 Census, there has been an increase in the share of recent immigrants settling outside of Canada’s 3 largest urban centres: Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver.

The share of recent immigrants settling in Atlantic Canada has almost tripled in 15 years, rising from 1.2% in 2006 to 3.5% in 2021.

The Government of Canada is promoting Francophone immigration to help Francophone minority communities thrive. In 2023, 19,700 French-speaking permanent residents settled outside Quebec, compared to 8,475 in 2019.

Immigrants integrate fully into Canadian society

Immigrating to Canada is an adjustment at first, but with time, immigrants earn as much and gain the same sense of belonging as Canadians.

Canada has one of the highest naturalization rates in the world. As of 2021, about 80% of eligible immigrants were citizens.

Making a living

Overall immigrant and refugee earnings match the Canadian average about 12 years after arrival. However, some economic immigrants selected for their Canadian experience or nominated by a province or territory catch up much more quickly, within their first year in Canada.

Community participation

Immigrants are active in Canadian society. More than 1 in 4 people employed in the social assistance sector were born outside Canada, as were nearly 1 in 5 working in social advocacy, civic, social and giving-related organizations.

Becoming Canadian

Everyone between the ages of 18 and 54 must take the citizenship test when they apply for citizenship. To become a citizen, they must demonstrate what they know about Canada, its history, and the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship.