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One Canadian in five is foreign born

Canada has been built by immigrants and still remains a land of immigration. The 2006 population census shows that:

One in five person (19.8% of the population) was foreign born
It is almost 1 in 2 (45.7%) in Toronto's metropolitan area (province of Ontario) and almost 40% in Vancouver (British Columbia).
In several of the country's urban areas this proportion varies from 20% to 25%.

Percentage of foreign born population- Some Canadian cities
(2006 Census)

Source: 2006 Census, Statistics Canada

Canada welcomes about 250,000 immigrants annually

In 2006 almost 252,000 new immigrants arrived in Canada :

55 % were selected under the Economic category (mostly as skilled workers or business persons)
28% were in the Family category (persons sponsored by their close relatives already established as permanent residents or citizens of Canada).

Number of new permanent residents

Source : Facts and Figures 2006 (Citizenship and Immigration Canada)
Notes: (1) Economic = skilled workers, business persons, Live in caregivers, provincial nominees (2) Family= Family sponsored

Immigration : an answer to Canada's labour market needs

Over the forseeable future immigration to Canada is expected to:

be a major driver of the population and labour force
counter population ageing and a growing specialized labour shortage in several areas
contribute to reinforce cultural, economic and trade links with the rest of the world.

2008 immigration targets

Canada's latest immigration plan calls for the admission of between 240 000 and 265 000 permanent residents in 2008.

2008 immigration targets - Canada

	Ranges
Immigrant Category	Low	High
Economic
Federal and Quebec skilled workers	92 000	98 000
Federal and Quebec business	11 000	13 000
Live-in Caregiver	6 000	9 000
Provincial/Territorial Nominees	20 000	22 000
Canadian Experience Class	10 000	12 000
Sub-total Economic	139 000	154 000
Family
Spouses, partners and children	50 000	52 000
Parents and Grandparents	18 000	19 000
Sub-total Family	68 000	71 000
Protected Persons	26 000	31 800
Other	7 000	8 200
TOTAL	240 000	265 000

Immigrants from all continents

More than half of all new permanent residents come from Asia and Pacific region countries, with a large contingent coming from China.

Permanent residents admitted in 2006
from each continent of origin

Diversified countries of origin

Immigration source countries have greatly diversified over the past decades.

15 main countries of origin of permanent residents admitted in Canada in 2006

Source : Facts and Figures (Citizenship and Immigration Canada)

Quebec has increased its immigration targets

According to the Quebec government's most recent estimates, this province has selected 46 300 immigration candidates in 2007:

90% of those were selected by the Province as skilled workers or business persons
To those figures one must add approximately 10 000 persons admitted by the government of Canada in the Family category (sponsorships by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Quebec).

Quebec's annual immigration plan calls for the selection of up to 50 000 candidates in 2008, on top of about 10 000 persons in the family category.

Immigrants selected by Quebec
	Results			Estimation	2008 planned range
	2004	2005	2006	2007	Minimum	Maximum
Economic
Skilled workers	33 600	30 326	32 520	36 300	36 500	38 000
Business	7 200	6 779	4 761	5 700	6 000	7 000
Other	500	698	563	700	600	800
Refugees	2 000	2 407	2 155	2 400	2 300	2 500
Other	500	1 692	1 208	1 200	1 100	1 300
Total	43 900	41 902	41 207	46 300	46 500	49 600