Immigration to Canada refers to when individuals or certain groups of people migrate to Canada in order to reside in that country permanently. Many people, fortunately, are granted permission to become citizens. But, still, many is not equivalent to all, as hundreds of applicants still go home empty-handed as they are not allowed Canadian citizenship.
Since then, people coming from different countries and races have been migrating to Canada. It is because of this that the rates of immigration within Canada have largely increased, especially after certain laws were passed. It was in 1947 that some changes were made to the immigration status or level of the country, primarily because of the domestic immigration law, particularly the Immigration Act of 1976. Aside from the aforementioned laws, there is also the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act of 2002.
Classes of immigrants
Canadian immigrants are actually further subdivided into three quite distinct categories. The first one is the Family Class, which involves the people who are closely related to individuals who are already residents of Canada.
The next one is the Independent Immigrant, which means that that particular immigrant has been admitted entry on the basis of a certain point system that accounts for the person’s health, market or labor related skills, health, and age. These factors largely affect whether or not they will be granted permission to enter the country since they will determine if that certain immigrant has the talents or the skills necessary for a cost-effective experience within the white collar or blue collar labor system of Canada.
And, lastly, Refugees comprise of the third category of immigrants. These Refugees are the ones who seek protection from other nations by applying to stay in Canada.
Total immigrant population
In the year 2008, there were around sixty-five thousand five hundred and sixty-seven immigrants categorized under Family Class, twenty-one thousand and eight hundred sixty Refugees, with one hundred and forty-nine thousand seventy-two economic immigrants among the total population of immigrants that amount to two hundred forty-seven thousand two hundred and forty-three.
Today, Canada is regarded as the country that has the broadest policies regarding immigration. In fact, such policies are also reflected in the ethnic diversity of the country. Moreover, it was in 2001 that Statistics Canada showed that the country has around thirty-four varied ethnic groups, having at least a hundred thousand members in each group.
Immigrant minorities
More than sixteen percent has been proven to be comprised of the country’s visible minorities, with South Asians being the most abundant, ranking at four percent of the entire population of minorities. The Chinese comprised of nearly four percent, the Blacks or the African Americans had nearly two and a half percent while Filipinos have more than one percent.
Outstripping the visible minorities when it comes to proportion are the French or the non-British invisible minorities, with Germans at more than ten percent, the Dutch at nearly four percent, the Italians at nearly five percent, Ukrainians at nearly four percent, and the Polish at more than three percent.