The Canadian Immigration System: Policy and Patterns

1
The Canadian Immigration SystemPolicy and
Patterns
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Outline of PresentationThe Canadian Immigration
System

• History of Canadas Immigration Policy Forms
  and Periods
• Immigration in Canada Today A General Picture
• Immigration levels
• Regions of origin
• Types of immigrants
• Where immigrants settle
• Policy Challenge Immigrants skills and
  credentials are not utilized The Foreign
  Credentials Gap

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MAJOR HISTORICAL TRENDS

• The Shift in the Economic Base From an
  Agricultural to a Post-Industrial Foundation
  Corresponds to the Demographic and Cognitive
  Shift From a White-Settler Colony to a
  Post-Racial Society.
• Historically, at the Collective Level, the Form
  of Immigration Intake has Shifted From a Closed
  Policy to Open Policy to Restricted Policy
  Characterized by Designer Immigration.
• Historically, at the Individual Level, the
  Criteria for Admission has Shifted From
  Absorptive Capacity To Adaptive Capacity.
• Historically, at the Mode of Production Level,
  the More Complex Developments in the Economic
  Infrastructure (Mode of Production) have
  Corresponded to the More Complex Social
  Differentiations in Society.

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History of Immigration PolicyThe Three Forms

• The Forms of Immigration
• From a White-Settler Colony to a Post-Racial
  Society
• From an Agricultural to a Post-industrial
  Society
• Closed Policy" was inclined toward formalizing
  a practice that existed since Confederation of
  recruiting only designated newcomers from only
  designated countries. This closed policy resulted
  in targeted or selective immigration practices
  which guaranteed the bulk of newcomers were, and
  would remain, of preferred European stock.
• Open Policy" Canada abandoned its
  White-Settler Colony mentality, country of
  origin was no longer a criterion in immigration
  selecting, and admission requirements were to be
  based on individual personal characteristics
  mapped by a point system, supporting the rise
  of a Post-Racial Society mentality.
• Restrictive Policy- began in 1978 and is
  associated with specific yearly immigration
  target levels, coupled with a closer scrutiny of
  the immigrant's potential labor market impact,
  characterized by the rise of Designer
  immigration.

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History of Canadas Immigration Policy The
Eight Periods

• When I speak of quality, I have in mind
  something that is quite different from what is in
  the mind of the average writer or speaker upon
  the question of immigration. I think of a
  stalwart peasant in a sheep-skin coat, born on
  the soil, whose forefathers have been farmers for
  generations, with a stout wife and half-a-dozen
  children, is good quality.
• Sir Clifford Sifton, 1922

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Period One 1867 1913

• Immigration part of a general set of national
  policies (1868-1892 Department of Agriculture
  1892-1917 Department of Interior)
• Main goals
• . securing farmers, farm workers and female
  domestics
• . populate, farm and settle the Canadian West
• Search for farmers was concentrated in Britain,
  the U.S. and
• Northwestern Europe
• The highest levels ever 330,000 in 1911 and
  400,000 in 1913.
• Demand for labour high, source countries begin to
  include Eastern and Central Europe and give
  away land to White-settlers.
• Head tax on Chinese immigrants in West doubled,
  to 100
• . tax increased again to 500, then immigration
  outlawed in 1923
• . the Chinese were the only group for which
  there was a complete structure of special
  legislation and regulations limiting there
  opportunity to come, to be united with their
  families if already here, and to proceed
  immediately to citizenship when eligible.

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"The Last, Best West"

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Chinese Head Tax Certificate
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Period Two 1919 1929Industrialization and
Urbanization

• 1919 Immigration Act revised (reflecting growth
  of class-based cleavage/social stratification)
• . government may limit the numbers of
  immigrants
• . formalized immigration guidelines based on
  ethnicity, race, cultural and ideological
  traits.
• . word nationality added to race to define
  the origin of immigrants.
• First official division of source countries into
  preferred and non- preferred groups
• . preferred countries included Britain, the US,
  the Irish Free State, Newfoundland, Australia
  and New Zealand
• . applicants from northern and western Europe
  were treated similarly those from eastern,
  southern and central Europe faced stricter
  regulations.
• Formal acknowledgement of short-term absorptive
  capacity

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Period Three 1930s and 1940s déjà vu Capitalism

• 1931 Canadian unemployment rate over 11
• . Financial déjà vu Capitalism and the
  ideological distain for market regulation
  system crisis comparable to today.
• . Effectively ended six decades of active
  immigrant recruitment
• . Door closed to most newcomers except those
  (of European descent) from Britain and the
  US.
• Family reunification remained a priority
  immediate family members admitted into the
  country (still in transition from and
  agricultural to and industrial based economy).

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Period Four 1946 1962The Transition to an
Advanced Industrial Society

• Two main events large influx of displaced
  persons from Europe,
• establishment of clear ethnic and economic goals
  for immigration
• policy
• 1947 Prime Minister Mackenzie King stated that
  immigration had
• purpose of population growth and improved
  Canadian standard of
• living
• . immigration should not change the basic
  character of the Canadian
• population
• 1952 New Immigration Act allows refusal of
  admission on the
• grounds of nationality, ethnic group,
  geographical area of origin,
• peculiar customs, habits and modes of life,
  unsuitability with regard to
• the climate, probable inability to become readily
  assimilated, etc.

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Immigration Is A Privilege And Not A
RightCanadas Postwar Immigration Policy

• "The policy of the government is to foster the
  growth of the population of Canada by the
  encouragement of immigration. The government will
  seek by legislation, regulation and vigorous
  administration, to ensure the careful selection
  and permanent settlement of such numbers of
  immigrants as can be advantageously absorbed in
  our national economy. It is a matter of domestic
  policy ... The people of Canada do not wish as
  a result of mass immigration to make a
  fundamental alteration in the character of our
  population. Large scale immigration from the
  Orient would change the fundamental composition
  of the Canadian population" William Lyon
  MacKenzie King.

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Period Five 1962 1973Liberal Universalism and
Difference Blind-ness

• 1962 Canada abandoned its all White racist
  immigration policy
• . Admission to be based on individual
  personal characteristics not nationality
• 1966 Immigration under Department of Manpower and
  Immigration (directly tie immigration and labour
  market).
• 1967 Point system created to facilitate and
  encourage the flow of skilled migrants
• Family class was still prioritized
• Additional immigration posts were opened in third
  world areas resulting shift in region of
  immigrant origin

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Period Six 1974 1985

• A period of big swings in the business cycle
  immigration inflows
• were adjusted accordingly.
• 1976 New Immigration Act defines the 3 main
  priorities of the
• immigration policy
• . Priority 1 family reunification
• . Priority 2 humanitarian concerns
• . Priority 3 promotion of Canadas economic,
  social
  
  demographic and cultural goals
• These goals/priorities still form the core of our
  immigration policy

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Period Seven 1986 2002

• 1985 Report to Parliament on future immigration
  levels
• . fertility in Canada had fallen below
  replacement levels
• . economic component of the inflow should be
  increased but not at the expense of social and
  humanitarian streams
• 1992 Family class was reduced government
  committed to stable inflows of about 1 of the
  current population
• 1993 Size of the inflow increased to 250,000 in
  spite of poor labour market a major shift from
  the absorptive capacity policy to adaptability
  (labour market indicators)
• The switch to long term goals and the desire to
  increase the numbers of skilled workers continued
  through the 1990s (the birth of designer
  immigration)

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Period Eight 2002

• 2002 1976 Immigration Act replaced
• . A few changes to the skilled workers category
  in order to attract younger and educated workers
• . More points to applicants with a trade
  certificate or a second degree more points for
  language (French and English) fewer points for
  experience with greater weight on first two
  years of experience and changes in age factor
• . Common-law partner in the family category
  (conjugal relations)
• . More powers of detention
• . Undocumented protected persons category
  eliminated

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Immigration in Canada TodayComponents of
Immigration Intake
Family Reunification Members of the Family Class
Humanitarian Convention Refugees Members of Designated Classes Persons eligible under special humanitarian measures
Economic Assisted Relatives Business Immigrants Entrepreneurs Self-employed persons Investors Retirees Other Independent Immigrants
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Selection Grid for Economic Immigrants (Point
System)
Factor One Education Maximum 25
Factor Two Official Languages Maximum 24
1st Official Language Maximum 16
2nd Official Language Maximum 8
Factor Three Experience Maximum 21
Factor Four Age Maximum 10
Factor Five Arranged Employment in Canada Maximum 10
Factor Six Adaptability Maximum 10
Total Maximum 100
Passing Mark 67
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Selection Factor Adaptability
Factor Six Adaptability Maximum 10 points
Spouses or common-law partners education 3 - 5
Minimum one year full-time authorized work in Canada 5
Minimum two years full-time authorized post-secondary study in Canada 5
Have received points under the Arranged Employment in Canada factor 5
Family relationship in Canada 5
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The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

• 28 June 2002 The Immigration and Refugee
  Protection Act comes into effect. It emphasizes
  the importance of immigration to improving
  Canadian society and economy and creating a
  culturally diverse nation. The Act also states
  the governments commitment to reuniting families
  in Canada, integrating immigrants, and protecting
  the health and safety of all Canadians. The
  refugee program plans to fulfill Canadas
  international legal obligations and give fair
  consideration to all people being persecuted. The
  Act guarantees the policies will be consistent
  with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
  and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It
  also states that intergovernmental co-operation
  will be important, as will be greater public
  awareness of policies.
• 12 December 2003 The Canada Border Services
  Agency (CBSA) is created. It is part of a broader
  package of programs designed to deal with the
  security concerns raised by the 11 September
  attack on the WorldTrade Center. The CBSAs
  mandate is to facilitate the legal movement of
  goods and people across Canadas borders while
  stopping illegal or threatening shipments.
• 31 December 2003 Introduction of the Permanent
  Resident Card. The card is required for permanent
  residents leaving and re-entering Canada. It is
  designed to increase border security.

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Canadian Immigration in 2005By Admissible
Category
Economic 56.1
Family 28.5
Refugee 12.8
Other 2.6
Total Number of Immigrants 262,157 (100)
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Annual Distribution of Permanent Residents By
Source Area1997-2006 ()

• In the 1950s, 84.6 of immigrants were European
  by birth
• By the mid 1980s immigrants born in Europe
  slipped to 28.6
• Now its about 15
• Source Citizenship and
• Immigration Canada
• 2007, 27.

Source Area 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Africa and the Middle East 18.9 20.0 18.8 19.0 20.6 21.8 21.2 22.0 19.7 21.8
Asia and Pacific 53.4 47.1 49.8 52.7 52.3 50.8 49.9 47.2 51.4 48.4
South and Central America 7.6 7.6 7.6 6.9 7.5 8.0 8.9 9.2 9.1 9.5
Total for the Above 79.9 74.7 76.2 78.6 80.4 80.6 80.0 78.4 80.2 79.7
United States 2.1 2.5 2.7 2.4 2.1 2.1 2.6 3.2 3.5 4.4
Europe and UK 18.0 22.7 21.1 19.1 17.4 17.2 17.3 18.4 16.4 15.8
TOTAL 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
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Canadian Immigration Source Countries 2005 Number of Immigrants
China 42,291
India 33,146
Philippines 17,525
Pakistan 13,576
United States 9,262
Columbia 6,031
United Kingdom 5,865
South Korea 5,819
Iran 5,502
France 5,430
Romania 4,964
Sri Lanka 4,690
Russia 3,607
Taiwan 3.092
Hong Kong 1,784
Yugoslavia (Former) 272
Top 10 Source Counties 144,447
Other 117,789
Total 262,236
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Where do Permanent Residents settle in Canada?
Province/Territory 2005
Nova Scotia 1,929 0.7
Other Atlantic Provinces 1,918 0.7
Quebec 43,308 16.5
Ontario 140,533 53.6
Manitoba 8,097 3.1
Saskatchewan 2,106 0.8
Alberta 19,399 7.4
British Columbia 44,767 17.1
Territories 160 0.06
Provinces/Territories not stated 19 gt0.001
Total 262,236
Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick,
Prince Edward Island Yukon, Northwest Territori
es, Nunavut
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Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement

• The first-ever Canada-Ontario Immigration
  Agreement was signed in November 2005.
• The Agreement signals a new era of
  federal-provincial collaboration in the
  integration of newcomers to Ontario.
• . Over the next five years, Citizenship and
  Immigration Canada (CIC) plans to invest 920
  million in new funding for settlement and
  language training programs and services in
  Ontario.
• . The federal and provincial governments will
  jointly develop settlement and language training
  strategies (service gaps and optimal ways of
  delivering and measuring the effectiveness of
  integration services)
• . The overall goal of these strategies is to
  support the successful social and economic
  integration of immigrants in Ontario.

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New Developments

• Provincial Nominee Program (PNPs) are also in
  place with 10 jurisdictions (the Yukon and all
  provinces except Quebec), either as an annex to a
  framework agreement or as a stand-alone
  agreement. Under the PNP, provinces and
  territories have the authority to nominate
  individuals as permanent residents to address
  specific labour market and economic development
  needs.
• Canada Experience Class program will allow
  temporary workers as well and international
  students to apply to become permanent residents
• . Aimed at people who want to immigrate to
  Canada and already have Canadian work experience
  or Canadian academic credentials.
• . Perhaps as many as 12,000 18,000.
• The Immigration Backlog is now report as 900,000.
  (This effectively means that newcomers face long
  processing delays, perhaps as along as five
  years).

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Policy ChallengeImmigrants Skills Are
Underutilized

• Immigrants tend to start at a significant
  earnings disadvantage,
• . In 1980, the income of male immigrants
  represented 89 of the income of workers born in
  Canada
• . In 2000, the income of immigrants fell to 77
  relative to the income of workers born in Canada
• Unemployment rate shows the same trend
• . In 1981, the unemployment rate of immigrants
  (7.1) was lower than the unemployment rate of
  Canadians (7.9)
• . 20 years later, the unemployment rate of
  immigrants is 12.7 compare to 7.4 for workers
  born in Canada
• The economic condition of newcomers in the
  country has worsened the immigrants who are most
  affected belong to racial minorities
• Annual cost of this problem 2 billion

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Salary GapDisparity in median incomes among
recent immigrants
Recent Immigrants from 2001 to 2006
University educated, 26,301
Non-university educated, 19,280
Immigrants from 2000 and before
University educated, 37,647
Non-University educated, 29,301
Canadian-born
University educated, 57,695
Non-university educated, 39,586.
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Policy ChallengeImmigrants Skills Are
Underutilized

• Principal Cause the non-recognition of foreign
  education and foreign experience
• Canadian workers are increasingly educated,
  employers have access to a qualified workforce
  and prefer to hire Canadian- educated workers
  with domestic experience
• Professional associations are often accused
  of placing too many barriers in front of
  otherwise qualified immigrants
• Even with a work authorization given by a
  professional association, there is still an
  earnings gap of 15 between newcomers and the
  Canadian-born limited access to
  senior/management positions
• The earnings gap for workers outside the
  knowledge economy (mostly regulated by
  professional association) represents a 30
  difference
• Most newcomers will not be part of the knowledge
  economy
• Cultural hegemony is the new head tax to exclude
  the undesirable, and to perpetuate oppression
  in Canada.

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Potential Solutions

• The Canadian government has recently announced
  that it will increase
• immigration yet, most of our newcomers today
  are visible minorities
• To help mitigate possible social tensions,
  governments (federal, provincial and municipal)
  have a role to play in establishing coherent
  policy
• Some potential initiatives include
• 1) Better sources of information for immigrants,
  before and after arrival
• 2) Bridge-training programs to top-up
  immigrants skills or fill in the gaps
• 3) Subsidized workplace internship and mentoring
  programs
• 4) More support for credential assessment
  services to improve labour market effectiveness
• 5) Improved public awareness of the problems
  faced by skilled immigrants in integrating into
  the Canadian labour market and the consequences
  for Canadian society