320,000 newcomers came to Canada in past year, highest number since 1971

[Tennis]

More than 300,000 newcomers arrived in Canada in the past year, the highest number since modern record-keeping began, new estimates show.

In the past year to July, 320,932 immigrants landed in the country, the largest annual number since at least July, 1971, when comparable records started, Statistics Canada said in its annual population count. That is a 33.3-per-cent increase over the prior year, when 240,844 immigrants came to Canada, the fastest growth in nearly three decades.The arrival of Syrian refugees, which began in November, 2015, partly explains the increase. At last count, Canada had welcomed 30,862 refugees, with thousands more still to be processed (Statscan’s count includes Syrian refugees in its broader category of immigrants).

Immigration Minister John McCallum has recently said he wants to boost immigration levels in the coming years to help alleviate the demographic challenges of an aging population.

Though earlier data are not strictly comparable, the increase in immigration numbers appears to be the largest in more than a century. “The country had not received such a large number of immigrants in a single annual period since the early 1910s during the settlement of Western Canada,” Statscan said.

In total, the country’s population rose 1.2 per cent in the year, to 36.3 million people, according to the preliminary estimates. That amounted to an increase of 437,815 people – the biggest gain, in absolute numbers, since 1988-89.

Before this year, the previous record for new immigrants was set in 2009-2010, when 270,581 people arrived in Canada.

All provinces received a higher number of newcomers last year, and six provinces saw a record number: Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

In the three Atlantic provinces – where economic challenges from an aging population are most acute – net international migration “was roughly double recent levels” in the 2015-16 period, Statscan said.

A growing share of new immigrants is settling in the Prairies. In the past year, 27.9 per cent of them settled in one of the three Prairie provinces, the highest share since at least 1971. Ontario still received the largest share of newcomers, at 37.3 per cent.

Canada received higher numbers of immigrants in 1911, 1912 and 1913, Statscan said, though those numbers “are not fully comparable with today’s estimates” as data from the 1910s were not produced using the same methodology.

The government’s 2016 immigration plan had a target of about 300,000 immigrants, an acceleration from prior years.

Mr. McCallum has said he wants to “substantially increase” the number of new immigrants, and that Canadians support higher levels. However, the federal government’s own internal polling has shown that most Canadians are satisfied with current levels (which, at the time of the poll, were around 250,000).

In a Nanos Research survey conducted for The Globe and Mail in August, 39 per cent of respondents said the government should accept fewer immigrants in 2017 than in the previous year. Thirty-seven per cent said the country should receive the same amount in 2017, while 16 per cent said the target should be increased.

The federal government will release its 2017 immigration targets in November.

A marked shift in Canadian demographics

Statistics Canada is reporting a number of record-setting changes in the population, including the highest immigration levels in recent history, as well as more signs of an aging population – though the agency cautions that its methods for counting people have changed over time. Here are some highlights:

1. A record number of Canadians – six million – were at least 65 years of age as of July 1, compared with 5.8 million children. By comparison, in 1986, there were twice as many children as people who were 65 and older.

2. Manitoba’s population boomed by 22,147 in the past year, its strongest growth since comparable record-keeping began in 1971.

3. More newcomers are prairie-bound. In the past year, 27.9 per cent of immigrants settled in the region. The share of immigrants who settled in Quebec and Ontario, meanwhile, hit its lowest level, at 54.4 per cent.

4. Alberta ranked No. 2 as a destination for arriving new Canadians for the first time in recent history, receiving 57,384 people. Ontario has typically topped the list, while the second place spot had always been held by either Quebec or British Columbia.

5. Six provinces took in record numbers of immigrants in 2015-16: Newfoundland and Labrador (1,406), Nova Scotia (5,390), New Brunswick (4,435), Manitoba (17,238), Saskatchewan (15,006) and Alberta.

6. Across Canada, 320,932 people landed in the country in 2015-16, the largest annual number in a single annual period “since the early 1910s, during the settlement of Western Canada.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle32102991/

Pretty awesome news to come across. This is the Canadian way.
I trust our system and the fine folk working at citizenship and immigration.

We just need to ensure that we screen folk well and they are here to contribute.

As the saying goes, if it ain't broke then why fix it? Immigrants stimulate the economy and help with our aging population. It really is a no brainer.

Do you agree with Canada's immigration policy? Would you also like to see your country take in record numbers of immigrants ? Isn't it interesting how in other countries there is such a strong backlash against immigrants yet in Canada the policy is so successful?

[Deleted]

Do you agree with Canada's immigration policy?

No - I think it is completely fucking disgusting. But I am not a Canadian, so I really don't give a shit.

[stormgust]

Isn't it interesting how in other countries there is such a strong backlash against immigrants yet in Canada the policy is so successful?

Not at all, you gave the answer yourself:

We just need to ensure that we screen folk well and they are here to contribute.

That's usually not what is happening in other countries. They don't get to choose refugees like Mr. Trudeau, who only flies in refugee families with young children, nor do they have but a single, closed, easily traverseable (as in capability) border to a country with similarily high living standards.

Or to put it bluntly, the immigration other countries see is far from the ideal state Canada has (i.e. qualified and thus contributing).

[Xarkan]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle32102991/

Pretty awesome news to come across. This is the Canadian way.
I trust our system and the fine folk working at citizenship and immigration.

We just need to ensure that we screen folk well and they are here to contribute.

As the saying goes, if it ain't broke then why fix it? Immigrants stimulate the economy and help with our aging population. It really is a no brainer.

Do you agree with Canada's immigration policy? Would you also like to see your country take in record numbers of immigrants ? Isn't it interesting how in other countries there is such a strong backlash against immigrants yet in Canada the policy is so successful?

uuuuk 320 932, divide by 35.3 multiply by 5.5.. i wonder if Denmark can beat 50 004 in 2015. We may be at 84 684 (we also might not be) immigrants that is. Refugees is at 1/8th of that

[May90]

I agree with the direction of Canadian immigration policies... But, goddamnit, the bureaucracy is insane. My aunt had to wait for 4 (!!!) years after applying through skilled migration program to be able to move there, my cousin (who moved there over 10 years ago at the age of 7) still hasn't gained citizenship, and when I was coming there to study for a month, I had to wait for over 2 months for my visa application to be processed.

You think the US bureaucracy is heavy? You know nothing, John Snow!

[MrHappy]

As a Canadian....this makes me happy. Our system is not perfect. I swear the bureaucracy from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the galaxy was inspired by the Canadian process. I also suspect there's more to come given the state of US elections :P
But seriously we need this. We need more working people, job creators. This is great news for Canadian Economy.

[Coombs]

For the love of God, someone please Dox Tennisace.

Infracted

[Forgettable]

I like reading the articles you post @Tennisace because I'm a Canadian. However your commentary always makes me either facepalm or laugh.

[Grimbold21]

John

You trying to get hit, mate?

[May90]

You trying to get hit, mate?

Sorry! I just physically cannot type, um, "Jo-n", it just looks weird...

[morpen]

uuuuk 320 932, divide by 35.3 multiply by 5.5.. i wonder if Denmark can beat 50 004 in 2015. We may be at 84 684 (we also might not be) immigrants that is. Refugees is at 1/8th of that

Oh god, please no. zero immigrants and asylum seekers would be preferable.

[Deletedaccount1]

My nation repping that 0 immigrants a year.

[Bakis]

Another thread where Tenn try to paint it out like Canada is doing a vast amount of work with refugees but in reality the numbers are small.
How suprising... then again small is better than nothing.

[Deleted]

You know, these liberals are so upfront and ridiculous that it turns more people to the extreme right wing. I like that.
People know what political side will aim for deportations right? Only one side will do that.

Checking them comments on youtube for example, feels like something is cooking.

[Xarkan]

Oh god, please no. zero immigrants and asylum seekers would be preferable.

The point might be that any country that cannot even beat Denmark (and i did not verify the number / check with danish statistics) per capita in immigration shouldnt be boasting it from the rooftops. Not a comment on more or less for Denmark.

However.. 8.9% of the population may be immigrants, 11.6% immigrants or descendants, 58% of the immigrants may be from non western countries. Possibly. Who knows. More than 59 000 may have immigrated into Denmark in 2014. Again who knows. Certainly not me.

- - - Updated - - -

Another thread where Tenn try to paint it out like Canada is doing a vast amount of work with refugees but in reality the numbers are small.
How suprising... then again small is better than nothing.

Yes.. how is it.. Sweden is at around 2.5 times the immigrant and descendants percentage Denmark has?

[Bakis]

Yes.. how is it.. Sweden is at around 2.5 times the immigrant and descendants percentage Denmark has?

Dunno but its alot more and I wish it was at a saner level.

[Mhorrg]

While usually anti patriotism and anti nationalism, this does cause me to do a minor fist pump for my country.

A small fist pump.

[Seranthor]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle32102991/

Pretty awesome news to come across. This is the Canadian way.
I trust our system and the fine folk working at citizenship and immigration.

We just need to ensure that we screen folk well and they are here to contribute.

As the saying goes, if it ain't broke then why fix it? Immigrants stimulate the economy and help with our aging population. It really is a no brainer.

Do you agree with Canada's immigration policy? Would you also like to see your country take in record numbers of immigrants ? Isn't it interesting how in other countries there is such a strong backlash against immigrants yet in Canada the policy is so successful?

I'll see your 320k,

In 2014, 1.3 million foreign-born individuals moved to the United States, an 11 percent increase from 1.2 million in 2013. India was the leading country of origin for new immigrants, with 147,500 arriving in 2014, followed by China with 131,800, Mexico with 130,000, Canada with 41,200, and the Philippines with 40,500.

http://www.migrationpolicy.org/artic...-united-states

That's just in one year, and doesn't count the 10-15 million illegals we have.

[Deleted]

Is Tennisace hired by some organization with an agenda or what?

[Xarkan]

Dunno but its alot more and I wish it was at a saner level.

Some parts of it should have been distributed better. But to do that you'd have to actually be able to sort out who are refugees and who are immigrants at the eu borders.. and to do that you have to kill the dublin thing because you need to be able to distribute the refugees (not immigrants) after that. Instead we got the chaos of last year. And political upheaval.