Since confederation in 1867 through to the contemporary era, decadal and demi-decadal census reports in Canada have compiled detailed immigration statistics. During this period, the highest annual immigration rate in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

occurred in 1913, when 400,900 new immigrants accounted for 5.3 percent of the total population, while the greatest number of foreign-born individuals admitted to Canada in single year occurred in 2021, with 405,330 new immigrants accounting for 1.1% of the total population. In a linear timeline following initial

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

and French colonization, what is now Canada has seen four major waves (or peaks) of

immigration Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...

and settlement of non-

Indigenous Peoples Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

take place over a span of nearly two centuries. Canada is currently undergoing its fifth wave.

Annual immigration and rate

Since confederation in 1867, the highest annual immigration rate in Canada occurred during the early 20th century, including 1913 (new immigrants accounted for 5.3 percent of the total population), 1912 (5.1 percent), 1911 (4.6 percent), 1907 (4.3 percent) and 1910 (4.1 percent). At this time, immigration from the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...

increased, supplemented by a rapid increase in immigration flows from

continental Europe Continental Europe or mainland Europe is the contiguous continent of Europe, excluding its surrounding islands. It can also be referred to ambiguously as the European continent, – which can conversely mean the whole of Europe – and, by ...

, especially Germany,

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...

, and the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

Sources of immigration

Canada receives its immigrant population from almost 200 countries. Statistics Canada projects that immigrants will represent between 29.1% and 34.0% of Canada's population in 2041, compared with 23.0% in 2021, while the Canadian population with at least one foreign born parent (

first First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

and second generation persons) could rise to between 49.8% and 54.3%, up from 44.0% in 2021. The number of visible ethno-cultural composition of population will double and make up the minority of the population of

cities in Canada This is a list of incorporated cities in Canada, in alphabetical order categorized by province or territory. More thorough lists of communities are available for each province. Capital cities Alberta To qualify as a city in Alberta, a su ...

2021 census

The 2021 census reported that

immigrants Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...

comprised 8,361,505 individuals or 23.0 percent of the total Canadian population. Of the total immigrant population, the top countries of origin were India (898,045 persons or 10.7%), Philippines (719,580 persons or 8.6%), China (715,835 persons or 8.6%), United Kingdom (464,135 persons or 5.6%), United States (256,085 persons or 3.1%), Pakistan (234,110 persons or 2.8%), Hong Kong (213,855 persons or 2.6%), Italy (204,065 persons or 2.4%), Iran (182,940 persons or 2.2%), and Vietnam (182,095 persons or 2.2%).

2016 census

The 2016 census reported that

comprised 7,540,830 individuals or 21.9 percent of the total Canadian population. Of the total immigrant population, the top countries of origin were India (668,565 persons or 8.9%), China (649,260 persons or 8.6%), Philippines (588,305 persons or 7.8%), United Kingdom (499,120 persons or 6.6%), United States (253,715 persons or 3.4%), Italy (236,635 persons or 3.1%), Hong Kong (208,935 persons or 2.8%), Pakistan (202,255 persons or 2.7%), Vietnam (169,250 persons or 2.2%), and Iran (154,420 persons or 2.1%).

2011 census

The 2011 census reported that

comprised 6,775,765 individuals or 20.6 percent of the total Canadian population. Of the total immigrant population, the top countries of origin were

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

(585,555 persons or 8.6%),

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

(572,435 persons or 8.5%),

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

(559,455 persons or 8.3%),

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

(502,295 persons or 7.4%),

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

(316,165 persons or 4.7%),

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

(260,250 persons or 3.8%),

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...

(209,775 persons or 3.1%),

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

(171,870 persons or 2.5%),

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

(168,420 persons or 2.5%), and

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

(161,380 persons or 2.4%).

2006 census

The

2006 census 6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number. In mathematics Six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number; it is the second small ...

reported that

comprised 6,186,950 individuals or 19.8 percent of the total Canadian population. Of the total immigrant population, the top countries of origin were

(579,620 persons or 9.4%),

(466,940 persons or 7.6%),

(443,690 persons or 7.2%),

(303,195 persons or 4.9%),

(296,850 persons or 4.8%),

(250,535 persons or 4.1%),

(215,430 persons or 3.5%),

(171,405 persons or 2.8%),

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

(170,490 persons or 2.8%), and

(160,170 persons or 2.6%).

2001 census

The 2001 census reported that

comprised 5,448,480 individuals or 18.4 percent of the total Canadian population. Of the total immigrant population, the top countries of origin were

(605,995 persons or 11.1%),

(332,825 persons or 6.1%),

(315,455 persons or 5.8%),

(314,690 persons or 5.8%),

(237,920 persons or 4.4%),

(235,620 persons or 4.3%),

(232,670 persons or 4.3%),

(180,415 persons or 3.3%),

(174,070 persons or 3.2%), and

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

(153,535 persons or 2.8%).

1971 census

1961 census

1951 census

1941 census

1931 census

1921 census

1911 census

1901 census

1891 census

1881 census

1871 census

Annual sources of immigration

2020s

2010s

1950s

Notes

References

{{Reflist Immigration to Canada Human migration Post-Confederation Canada (1867–1914) Canada in the World Wars and Interwar Years History of Canada (1945–1960) History of Canada (1960–1981) History of Canada (1982–1992) History of Canada (1992–present) Multiculturalism in Canada