Study: Becoming Canadian

Immigrants who arrive in Canada are much more likely to become naturalized citizens than those who go to many other nations, including the United States, according to a new report.

The study "Becoming Canadian: Intent, process, and outcome," based on census data and published in the spring edition of Canadian Social Trends, shows that 84% of eligible immigrants in Canada were Canadian citizens in 2001.

Immigrants are eligible to become a naturalized citizen in Canada if they have lived in the country for at least three years.

In contrast, in Australia, where the residency requirement is a minimum of two years, only three-quarters of eligible immigrants are naturalized. In the United Kingdom, 50% of immigrants who have resided there for at least five years are British citizens.

In the United States, the proportion is even lower. There, the residency requirement is also five years, but only 40% of foreign-born residents are American citizens.

In Canada, younger immigrants are much more likely to become citizens. These individuals are more likely to be in the labour market and have more to gain from citizenship than older immigrants. About 85% of those aged less than 20 years at the time of their arrival have been naturalized, versus 72% of those who arrived at age 70 years or over.

In addition, the longer newcomers stay in Canada, the more likely they are to become citizens. In 2001, 57% of immigrants who had been residents for four to five years had become Canadian citizens.

Among those who had lived in Canada for 6 to 10 years, 79% were citizens. And among those who had been in the country for 30 years or more, 90% were citizens.

Census data also show that recent groups of newcomers are taking less time to become citizens than their previous counterparts.

The 1991 Census showed that just over half (51%) of immigrants who had been residents for four to five years had become citizens. The proportion in 1981 was only 42%.

This trend may be a result of the countries of origin. Newcomers entering Canada in the last decade were more likely to have been born in Asian nations such as China, India or the Philippines. Those who came before the 1960s tended to be from European nations such as the United Kingdom and Italy.

Newly eligible immigrants from Africa or Asia are more likely to become Canadian citizens than those from Europe and the United States.

Immigrants born in the United States were the least likely to hold Canadian citizenship. Even among US-born immigrants who had spent more than 30 years in Canada, 32% were not citizens.

The article "Becoming Canadian: Intent, process, and outcome," is now available in the spring 2005 issue of Canadian Social Trends, no. 76 (11-008-XIE, $9/$29; 11-008-XPE, $12/$39).

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Kelly Tran (416-952-1919; kelly.tran@statcan.gc.ca), Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division.