- Robin Levinson King
- BBC News, Toronto
image source, Getty Images
Canada is betting on immigration to fill the void left in its economy by the baby boomers. But not everyone agrees with the arrival of so many foreigners.
In early November, the federal government announced an aggressive plan to take in 500,000 immigrants annually by 2025, for a total of 1.5 million new immigrants.
With this plan, Canada would receive eight times as many permanent residents each year – by population – than the United Kingdom and four times as many as its neighbor to the south, the United States.
However, a recent survey showed that, too There is anxiety in welcoming so many newcomers.
Canada is betting big
For many years, Canada has tried to attract permanent residents — immigrants who have the right to remain in the country indefinitely without being citizens — to keep the population and economy growing.
last year, The country hosted 405,000 permanent residentsthe highest number in its history.
The reasons must be, in some way, related to simple mathematics. Like many Western countries, Canada has an aging population and a low birth rate. This means that If the country wants to grow, it will have to bring in immigrants.
Immigration adds to the growth of the active population and by 2032, it is expected to also contribute to the country’s population increase, according to a government press release.
Unique place in the world
image source, Getty Images
Ukrainian refugees in Canada.
Nowadays, One in four Canadians came to the country as an immigrant, the highest number among the G7 countries. In the United States, known as the “melting pot of the world,” only 14% of immigrants are immigrants.
Jeffrey Cameron, professor of political science at McMaster University, believes that while many countries, such as Canada, are facing low birth rates and aging populations, The success of any immigration system depends on public support.
“The determining factor for most countries is public opinion,” he says.
In the United States, where the number of immigrants entering the country through the southern border is at an all-time high, there is widespread concern about there being more immigrants than jobs.
image source, Getty Images
Last year, Canada welcomed 405,000 permanent residents, the highest number in its history.
In Canada, on the other hand, there has historically been Much support for immigration.
“I think part of the reason is that there is a degree of public confidence that immigration to Canada is well managed by the government and also managed in a way that is in the best interests of the country,” Cameron explains.
This does not mean that there are no problems with immigration.
In the last years, The influx of immigrants at the US border has generated some controversyAnd the emergence in 2018 of a new right-wing party, the People’s Party of Canada, kept the issue in the national conversation in the run-up to the 2019 federal election.
Certain parts of Canada also have different views on immigration.
When the government announced its aggressive goals of up to 500,000 new immigrants per year (25% more than in 2021), the province of Quebec, which can set its own immigration limits, made it clear that Will not accept a More than 50,000 a year. This means that Quebec, which is home to 23% of the country’s population, will only welcome 10% of foreigners.
This was stated by the Premier of Quebec, François Legault He worries that more immigrants will weaken the French language in the province.
“With 50,000 already there, it is difficult to stop the French retreat,” he said.
And while it is true that Canada may have more room to grow, some places are feeling more pressure. Large cities like Toronto and Vancouver – where about 10% of the population currently lives – The affordable housing crisis.
In a survey of 1,537 Canadians by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies, three in four said they were somewhat or very concerned about the impact of the new plan on housing and social services. Almost half (49%) argued that the goals were too high, while 31% said it was the right number.
image source, Getty Images
The province of Quebec, which can set its own limits on immigration, has made it clear that it will accept no more than 50,000 people a year. They worry that more immigrants will impair the French language.
Canadian approach
Another way Canada stands out in the Western world is that it is unique Focus on economic migration: About half of permanent residents are accepted for their skills, not for family reunification. The government expects it to reach 60% by 2025.
Cameron explains that this is partly due to how the Canadian system was designed. In the 1960s, Canada transitioned from a quota system to a system A points-based system that gives preference to highly skilled immigrants That will contribute to the Canadian economy.
“The same principle guides the system today,” the expert told the BBC.
In the UK, just over one in four economic permanent residents are accepted. In the United States, only 20% of green cards are issued for this reason. Both countries have indicated that they hope to increase the share of economic migrants, however most economic migrants must be sponsored by their employers.
In Canada, a job offer can count towards your score, but it doesn’t have to be.
image source, Getty Images
One in four Canadians arrived in the country as an immigrant, the highest number among the G7 countries.
Can Canada achieve its goals?
Not only does Canada host more skilled immigrants than other major countries, but it is One of the leading countries in terms of refugee resettlementwith the admission of 20,428 refugees in 2021.
Although the country has set ambitious goals for the future, history has shown that they do not always live up to their own expectations. In 2021, Canada’s goal is to resettle about 59,000 refugees, nearly three times as many as the country has taken in.
In an interview with Canadian radio station CBC, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said the delay was largely due to virus-related border closures, both in Canada and around the world.
By 2023, Canada aims to help resettle 76,000 refugees.
image source, Palestinian Authority
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