Portrait of immigrants in Canada1

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In 2006, immigrants accounted for 20% of the Canadian population, a 14% increase compared to the 2001 Census (Chui, Tran and Maheux 2007). In the Canadian population aged 15 and older, their representation increased to 23%. This difference is mainly attributable to a growth in the proportion of immigrants aged 45 and older. Among recent immigrants, the situation is reversed, with more than three quarters (79%) less than 45 years of age.

Immigrants tend to live in urban areas.2 Approximately 95% of immigrants live in either a census metropolitan area or a census agglomeration, compared to just over 75% of non-immigrants.

Recent immigrants come primarily from Asia (58%), Europe (16%), South or Central America or the Caribbean (11%) and Africa (11%). By comparison, in 1971, Europeans accounted for 62% of recent immigrants, whereas Asians accounted for 12% (Chui, Tran and Maheux 2007).

The unemployment rate of recent immigrants was almost double that of the non-immigrant population and their average income was considerably lower than that of the Canadian-born population ($20,999 versus $36,243, respectively) (Table 1.a). Recent immigrants between the ages of 25 and 54 had more difficulties in the labour market than non-immigrants in 2006 (Gilmore, 2008). However, these gaps narrowed over time; unemployment rates and average incomes among immigrants who have been in Canada for a longer period caught-up with those of their non-immigrant counterparts.

Table 1.a Selected characteristics of immigrants, recent immigrants and non-immigrants, population aged 15 and older, 2006.

Table 1.a
Selected characteristics of immigrants, recent immigrants and non-immigrants, population aged 15 and older, 2006

Table 1.b  Selected characteristics of the immigrant population aged 15 and older, by province, 2006.

Table 1.b
Selected characteristics of the immigrant population aged 15 and older, by province, 2006

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Definitions

Immigrant: The definition of immigrant used in this profile varies depending on the data source. In the section using Census of Population data, immigrants are defined as persons who, at the time of the 2006 Census, either held or had once held landed immigrant status, regardless of whether they were currently Canadian citizens. In the section using data from the 2004 General Social Survey (GSS), immigrants are defined as persons who were not born in Canada and who were not Canadian citizens by birth and who settled permanently in Canada in 2004 or earlier.

Recent immigrant: Recent immigrants are those who settled in Canada less than five years ago. According to data from the 2006 Census, recent immigrants are those who came to Canada between 2001 and 2006, while the GSS defines recent immigrants as those who came to Canada between 1999 and 2004.

Non-immigrant: In this profile, non-immigrants are defined as Canadian-born or immigrants of third or higher generation.

Second generation immigrant: Individuals who were born in Canada but with at least one parent born abroad.

Notes

1. The data are based on persons aged 15 and older.
2. Urban areas include census metropolitan areas (CMA) and census agglomerations (CA). A CMA has an urban core population of at least 100,000 and a CA has an urban core population between 10,000 and 100,000 based on the previous census – Guide to the Labour Force Survey.