Most immigrants leave Canada within 20 years after admission a permanent residents: Study

(Aanchal Nigam / Red Maple)
 

Image Source: Representative/ Unsplash

As Canada continues to change immigration policies, a new study has revealed that most immigrants leave the country within 20 years after admission as permanent residents. 

A Statistics Canada study released this Friday studied emigration of immigrants between 1982 to 2017.

Over 15 per cent of immigrants decide to leave Canada either to go back to their home country or any other nation within the first 20 years of their admission as permanent residents.

Moreover, t​​he research also indicated that approximately 5.1 per cent of immigrants who arrived between 1982 and 2017 left the country within their first five years of permanent residence.

The study also stated, “​​While some immigrants may have planned to leave Canada at some point, emigration may also attest to the difficulties many immigrants encounter in integrating into the Canadian labour market or society.”

The research underscores that newer immigrants have a higher likelihood of leaving Canada compared to earlier arrivals, particularly between three to seven years after arrival, a time often spent on integration efforts like employment and housing. 

It noted that emigration ties closely to factors like family status, country of origin, and admission categories. 

Immigrants from certain countries and those with higher education or wealth, especially investors and entrepreneurs, show a greater tendency to leave. 

In contrast, immigrants from places like the Philippines and Vietnam, as well as those with children, are more likely to stay.

The departure of highly skilled immigrants poses potential economic impacts for Canada.

“For example, because immigrants generally have a higher level of education than the Canadian-born population, the departure of this highly skilled labour can have a certain negative impact on the country's economic growth," the report noted.