Canada’s population is expected to grow by about one-third over the next two decades, with immigrants making up more than a third of that growth. This is based on projections from Statistics Canada, which show that Canada’s population will increase from 36 million to 46 million in 2036.
The projections are based on assumptions about immigration levels, fertility rates and mortality rates. The report says that immigration will be the main driver of population growth in Canada over the next two decades. Immigrants could make up more than a third of Canada’s population by 2036, according to the latest census data. The census found that the percentage of the population who are immigrants has increased by nearly 10 per cent in the last five years.
Country Welcomed 1.2 Million Immigrants
The country welcomed 1.2 million newcomers between 2011 and 2016, with most coming from India, China, and Syria. Immigrants are a crucial part of Canada’s population and economy. Many immigrants come to Canada with the hope of a better life. They are often highly skilled, educated, and entrepreneurial people who contribute to the Canadian economy in many ways.
However, it is not easy for immigrants to find work in their field or start their own businesses right away. They may need to take jobs that are different from what they studied or worked before. This can be difficult for immigrants who want to start their own businesses because they may not have enough money saved up or access to credit.
Canada has a number of programs that help immigrants settle into their new homes and find work, such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). These programs allow provinces and territories to nominate certain qualified individuals for permanent residence in Canada based on criteria such as education level, language skills, employment experience, age, etc,
Canadian Census
The most recent Canadian census showed the greatest number of new immigrants ever, which was a little over 1.3 million people who made Canada their permanent home between the years of 2016 and 2021. The percentage of recent immigrants who settled in Atlantic Canada increased from 1.2% in 2006 and 3.5% in 2021, representing an almost threefold increase in that time span. The objective of the Canadian government on immigration is to sustainably raise the overall amount of immigration in order to boost the country’s economy, bring separated families back together, and aid refugees in need of humanitarian assistance.
The economic class, the family class, and the refugee class are the three categories of immigration that Canada accepts. Immigrants who fall into the economic class are those who have been singled out for their potential to make a positive impact on Canada’s economy, whether that be through one‘s capacity to satisfy the requirements of the labour market, or to own or manage a business, to have a significant investment, or to establish their employment opportunities.
Those who have a Canadian citizen or legal resident sponsor may enter the country under the family class. The ultimate objective is to make it possible for couples and families to be reunited in Canada. People who can prove they have a spouse, companion, parent, grandparent, or kid in the United States automatically qualify for permanent residence status.
Immigrants who have been granted permanent residence status as refugees have shown a genuine fear for their safety in their native country owing to persecution for reasons of race, creed, nationality, participation in a social group, or political opinion. Those who have been profoundly impacted by war or conflict and/or who have experienced a major violation of their human rights are also included here.
Canada’s ageing population and declining birthrate have a chilling effect on the country’s economic or labour force expansion. Due to sluggish growth, Canada is unable to raise taxes to fund essential social services like healthcare and education. Canadian immigration has been rising to help the country’s economy and finances.
Immigration Levels Plan
The government updates its Immigration Levels Plan annually to detail its goals for immigration in the next three years. The plan details the expected influx of immigrants as well as their demographic profile. Canada anticipates a total of more than 430,000 new legal residents in 2022, with over 60% of these people belonging to the economic class.
In addition to having a relatively small population, Canadians tend to live longer than people in any other country. The result is a strain on the economy and the budget. Low rates of natural population increase in Canada have a knock-on effect on the size of the working-age population and the country’s GDP. The Canadian government has a hard time collecting the tax revenue necessary to fund essential social programmes like education and healthcare, which contribute to the country’s high quality of living because of the slow pace of economic development.
To that end, Canada has been steadily expanding its immigration intake since the late 1980s, therefore boosting the country’s population, working population, and GDP growth. Immigration has become more important to Canada’s population & labour force expansion, as well as its economic development.
Think about the 9 million baby boomers who will be eligible for retirement in Canada by the time they turn 65. Consequently, the number of people actively employed in Canada will decrease at the same time as the country’s healthcare costs would increase. Canada has indeed been proactive in addressing this issue by steadily increasing its immigration objectives for more than 30 years.
Since 1988, the graphic below shows that Canada has consistently accepted over 200,000 immigrants per year. Over the last several years, it has chosen to boost production to more than 400,000 units annually. The current immigration rate in Canada is close to 1.1%. As a result, Canada accepts three times as many immigrants per capita as the United States.
Demographic Realities of Canada
The demographic realities of Canada, together with the current immigration patterns, suggest that the country’s immigration numbers will continue to rise steadily over the next years. Undoubtedly, immigration will continue to play a vital role in maintaining the budgetary and economic stability of the nation.
Additionally, the necessity of immigration is said to have grown in light of the recent coronavirus outbreak. In the near term, COVID-19 has harmed Canada’s economy and boosted government expenditure on social services. Furthermore, in 2019, the Canadian birth rate reached a record low of 1.47 children per woman. Owing to Canada’s already low birth rate and the possibility that the pandemic would further cut the birth rate due to economic insecurity, Canada will rely even more heavily on immigration to meet its future demographic needs. Low birth rates in Canada would make immigration a greater contributor to the country’s growing labour force. Canada’s government expendituresv after COVID-19 will need a larger revenue base, which may be achieved through immigration.