Immigration

In Canada, immigration is a major factor in population growth. Immigration accounted for 24% of the net population growth in the first half of the 1980s; it now accounts for 50% and this share is likely to continue to increase. Although Canada has counted upon immigration, with variations over the decades, to increase its population, the composition of the immigrant population has changed dramatically (Figure 5).

During the two periods, the magnitude of immigration was similar: 159,000 people annually in 1970-74 and 138,000 in 1985-89. In recent years, the number has increased to about 200,000 annually and is expected to remain at this level for the rest of the decade. However, the composition has shifted from predominantly European to mainly Asian. The proportion of people coming from Africa and South America has also increased slightly. This trend is expected to continue and even become amplified through to the end of the century.