New Permanent Residents
Canada welcomed 53,514 new permanent residents (principal applicants, spouses and dependants) in the final quarter of 2003, an increase of almost 28% in comparison with the final quarter of 2002. This brought the total number to 221,340 for 2003—slightly above the lower end of the 220,000 to 245,000 range established in the Immigration Plan for 2003.
Economic immigrants (principal applicants, spouses and dependants) accounted for 55% (122,744) of the year-end total for all landings, family class immigrants for 32% (70,707) and refugees and other protected persons for 12% (25,960).
In addition to the Canada–Quebec Accord, which gives Quebec all rights and responsibilities for the selection of immigrants, agreements have been signed between the federal government and several other provinces and territories in Canada that allow them to nominate immigrants who can make a specific contribution to their economy. The total number of provincial and territorial nominees climbed to 4,418 in 2003, more than double the level recorded in 2002 (2,127). The same scenario occurred for live-in caregivers who obtained permanent resident status, which increased to 3,301 from 1,981 in the previous year.
China continued to be the primary source country in 2003, accounting for 16% of all new permanent residents, followed by India, Pakistan and the Philippines. In 2003, an increase of 9% was noted for China and the Philippines. In contrast, permanent residents from India declined by 15% and those from Pakistan by 13%. Other countries which noted increased movements since 2002 included the United States and the United Kingdom (13% and 10% more permanent residents, respectively), while immigrants arriving from Iran declined by 27%.
Foreign Workers
During the final quarter of 2003, a total of 13,283 foreign workers came to Canada. This brought the total for the year to 82,141, which represents a decline of 7% compared to 2002. This change in recorded flows, especially from the United States, is partly related to changes under IRPA, which has exempted a number of categories of foreign workers from requiring a work permit for stays of a short duration. These categories include some performing artists, seminar and commercial speakers visiting for less than five days, and service repair people. The legislative changes now facilitate the entry of short-term workers by no longer requiring work permits and have resulted in fewer foreign workers from the United States being recorded in the foreign worker flows captured by CIC.
Nevertheless, the United States was the leading source country for temporary foreign workers in 2003, with 19% (15,423) of the total. Mexico ranked second with 13% (11,074) and Jamaica, Australia and the United Kingdom were each the source of 7% (almost 6,000 each) of foreign workers.
Foreign Students
The year-end total for 2003 indicates that 61,303 foreign students entered Canada to begin their studies, 11% fewer than in 2002. It should be noted that since the implementation of IRPA in June 2002, student flows have been reflecting regulatory changes that came into effect with the new legislation. CIC has recorded fewer foreign students overall now that foreign students in programs of six months or less no longer require a permit to study in Canada.
South Korea, China, Japan and the United States remained the top four source countries for foreign students in 2003, and roughly equal numbers of foreign students were destined for Ontario (20,627) and British Columbia (20,318). These two provinces accounted for 67% of all foreign students who came to Canada during the year.
Citizenship Grants
A total of 147,920 people were granted Canadian citizenship in 2003, representing a 6% increase over the level recorded in 2002 (139,662). The top four source countries remained unchanged from 2002 (China, India, the Philippines and Pakistan) but Iran moved into the fifth position for 2003, one spot higher than in 2002. Slightly more than one in four people granted Canadian citizenship were born in one of the top three source countries for 2003: 13% were born in China, 9% in India and 5% in the Philippines.
The Economic Performance of Immigrants
Over the past 18 months, significant new research and data have been released on the economic performance of immigrants. Some of the research relates to evidence of declining earnings for immigrants over the past 20 years.
Research from a number of sources demonstrates that immigrant earnings have declined from the 1980s to 2000. This decline has been widespread, but more pronounced for those with high levels of education (not unlike the outcomes for the Canadian-born) and more so for males than for females. This article focuses on skilled worker principal applicants.
In 1981, the employment earnings for a skilled worker principal applicant one year after arrival were $37,400 compared to the Canadian average of $30,300 (all inflation adjusted to the year 2000). In 2000, a skilled worker principal applicant who had arrived one year earlier earned $28,500 compared to a Canadian average of $32,500.
