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Section Title: Media and Publications
Summer 2004
The Monitor - Newsletter
Glossary of TermsPrevious IssuesContact The Monitor

New Permanent Residents

Immigrant levels increased by 20% compared to the first quarter of 2003. Canada took in 54,889 permanent residents between January and March 2004 (see table 1). Increases were registered across the different immigrant classes, with 9% more in the family class (15,754 new permanent residents) and 7% in the economic class (27,934 new permanent residents). Refugee landings more than doubled, to 9,303 new permanent residents.

Increases in the family class were concentrated among spouses and partners, a category that increased by 20% for the quarter. For principal applicants in the economic class, the number of new skilled workers remained steady at 10,356. For refugees, landings increased across the different categories, but were strongest for refugees landed in Canada (successful refugee claimants). Whereas only 1,475 successful refugee claimants landed in the first quarter of 2003, 5,183 did so in the first quarter of 2004.

Chart 1: Immigrants by class: Q1 2003 and Q1 2004

Chart 1: Immigrants by class: Q1 2003 and Q1 2004

Source Countries

Canada saw an increase in the number of immigrants from each of the top ten countries of origin in the first quarter. China showed no sign of giving up its place as the leading source country, contributing 9,373 new permanent residents in the first quarter (see table 2). India, which ranked second, was far behind, with 5,028 new landings. Its rank as the second largest source country remained unchanged. The Philippines was the third leading source country, with 3,108 landings. The Philippines is noteworthy for the rate at which landings increased, growing by 55% over the same quarter of 2003. South Korea, which ranked fifth in the first quarter of 2003 and for the year, was not among the top ten source countries for the current quarter.

Destination

All provinces increased their intake of new immigrants in the first quarter. The number of immigrants to Canada’s most popular immigrant destinations—Ontario and British Columbia—increased at less than the national rate of 20%. Ontario increased its number of immigrants by 16% to 28,870, and British Columbia by 9% to 8,696 (see table 3).

The provinces that increased their intake of immigrants beyond the national average included Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Manitoba and Alberta. The provincial nominee program played an important role in some of these provinces. Thirteen percent of Newfoundland’s and 57% of Prince Edward Island’s immigrants (21 and 39 new permanent residents respectively) were provincial nominees. While the numbers were relatively small, the provincial nominee program contributed significantly to increasing immigration to provinces with smaller populations. Manitoba continued to lead the way in provincial nominees, with 754 in the first quarter alone, a full 49% of the province’s immigrants for that period.

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Table 1
Immigration by Category
(Principal Applicants, Spouses and Dependants)

IMMIGRANTS 2003   2004   Difference
Total Q1 YTD Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 YTD YTD 2004 /
YTD 2003
Spouses and partners 42,491 8,766 8,766 11,161 11,210 11,354 10,534 10,534 20%
Parents and grandparents 19,376 4,140 4,140 6,349 4,864 4,023 3,858 3,858 -7%
Others 6,996 1,573 1,573 1,730 2,065 1,628 1,362 1,362 -13%
Total family class 68,863 14,479 14,479 19,240 18,139 17,005 15,754 15,754 9%
     
Skilled workers – principal applicants 45,370 10,378 10,378 12,603 12,917 9,472 10,356 10,356 0%
Business immigrants – principal applicants 2,199 567 567 570 644 418 514 514 -9%
Live-in caregivers – principal applicants 2,699 406 406 477 749 1,067 974 974 140%
Provincial/territorial nominees – principal applicants 1,418 241 241 389 428 360 435 435 80%
Total economic class – principal applicants 51,686 11,592 11,592 14,039 14,738 11,317 12,279 12,279 6%
     
Skilled workers – spouses and dependants 59,862 12,671 12,671 16,537 18,407 12,247 13,116 13,116 4%
Business immigrants – spouses and dependants 5,902 1,423 1,423 1,458 1,914 1,107 1,339 1,339 -6%
Live-in caregivers – spouses and dependants 605 19 19 111 196 279 404 404 2026%
Provincial/territorial nominees – spouses and dependants 3,000 472 472 787 978 763 796 796 69%
Total economic class – spouses and dependants 69,369 14,585 14,585 18,893 21,495 14,396 15,655 15,655 7%
     
Skilled workers – p.a.,* spouses and dependants 105,232 23,049 23,049 29,140 31,324 21,719 23,472 23,472 2%
Business immigrants – p.a.,* spouses and dependants 8,101 1,990 1,990 2,028 2,558 1,525 1,853 1,853 -7%
Live-in caregivers – p.a.,* spouses and dependants 3,304 425 425 588 945 1,346 1,378 1,378 224%
Provincial/territorial nominees – p.a.,* spouses and dependants 4,418 713 713 1,176 1,406 1,123 1,231 1,231 73%
Total economic class 121,055 26,177 26,177 32,932 36,233 25,713 27,934 27,934 7%
     
Post-determination refugee claimants 45 5 5 10 15 15 13 13 160%
Deferred removal order class 34 11 11 6 12 5 2 2 -82%
Total other 79 16 16 16 27 20 15 15 -6%
Total immigrants 189,997 40,672 40,672 52,188 54,399 42,738 43,703 43,703 7%
     
Government-assisted refugees 7,504 1,288 1,288 1,446 2,117 2,653 1,733 1,733 35%
Privately sponsored refugees 3,253 504 504 697 856 1,196 879 879 74%
Refugees landed in Canada (asylum) 11,265 1,475 1,475 2,467 3,616 3,707 5,183 5,183 251%
Dependants abroad of refugees landed in Canada 3,959 490 490 820 1,075 1,574 1,508 1,508 208%
Total refugees 25,981 3,757 3,757 5,430 7,664 9,130 9,303 9,303 148%
Total immigrants and refugees 215,978 44,429 44,429 57,618 62,063 51,868 53,006 53,006 19%
     
Permit holders applying for permanent residence 97 13 13 14 25 45 31 31 138%
IRPA other 5,265 1,114 1,114 1,227 1,249 1,675 1,852 1,852 66%
Backlog 12 5 5 3 2 2 - - -100%
Total 221,352 45,561 45,561 58,862 63,339 53,590 54,889 54,889 20%

* p.a. = principal applicants

Table 2
Immigration by Top Source Countries
(Principal Applicants, Spouses and Dependants)

Country of Last Permanent Residence 2003   2004   Difference
Total 2003
Rank 		Q1 YTD Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 YTD YTD
Rank 		YTD 2004 /
YTD 2003
China, People’s Republic of 36,116 1 8,322 8,322 10,625 9,397 7,772 9,373 9,373 1 13%
India 24,560 2 4,598 4,598 7,349 7,322 5,291 5,028 5,028 2 9%
Philippines 11,978 4 2,003 2,003 3,317 3,280 3,378 3,108 3,108 3 55%
Pakistan 12,330 3 2,662 2,662 2,967 3,408 3,293 2,806 2,806 4 5%
United States 5,990 6 1,358 1,358 1,391 1,472 1,769 1,828 1,828 5 35%
Iran 5,648 7 1,200 1,200 1,353 1,730 1,365 1,500 1,500 6 25%
Romania 5,465 8 1,082 1,082 1,418 1,721 1,244 1,473 1,473 7 36%
United Kingdom 5,194 9 1,056 1,056 1,382 1,538 1,218 1,317 1,317 8 25%
Sri Lanka 4,442 10 733 733 1,200 1,233 1,276 1,295 1,295 9 77%
Colombia 4,273 11 851 851 1,061 1,147 1,214 1,139 1,139 10 34%
Total – Top Ten Only 115,996   23,865 23,865 32,063 32,248 27,820 28,867 28,867   21%
Total – Other Countries 105,356 21,696 21,696 26,799 31,091 25,770 26,022 26,022 20%
Total 221,352 45,561 45,561 58,862 63,339 53,590 54,889 54,889 20%

Table 3
Immigration by Destination
(Principal Applicants, Spouses and Dependants)

Province
Census Metropolitan Area		 2003   2004   Difference
Total Q1 YTD Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 YTD YTD 2004 /
YTD 2003
St. John’s 254 46 46 52 112 44 71 71 54%
Other Newfoundland 105 22 22 13 36 34 95 95 332%
Total Newfoundland 359 68 68 65 148 78 166 166 144%
Total Prince Edward Island 153 23 23 34 46 50 68 68 196%
Halifax 1,115 215 215 239 385 276 281 281 31%
Other Nova Scotia 361 97 97 70 80 114 106 106 9%
Total Nova Scotia 1,476 312 312 309 465 390 387 387 24%
Saint John 157 36 36 26 35 60 28 28 -22%
Other New Brunswick 510 119 119 138 131 122 137 137 15%
Total New Brunswick 667 155 155 164 166 182 165 165 6%
Québec 1,691 348 348 341 505 497 464 464 33%
Montréal 33,732 6,315 6,315 8,990 10,040 8,387 8,897 8,897 41%
Ottawa – Gatineau (QC) 894 165 165 194 272 263 204 204 24%
Other Quebec 3,234 660 660 654 1,046 874 945 945 43%
Total Quebec 39,551 7,488 7,488 10,179 11,863 10,021 10,510 10,510 40%
Ottawa – Gatineau (ON) 5,984 1,178 1,178 1,647 1,720 1,439 1,459 1,459 24%
Toronto 97,476 20,397 20,397 26,253 27,930 22,896 22,855 22,855 12%
Hamilton 3,537 750 750 904 893 990 928 928 24%
London 1,998 425 425 438 594 541 544 544 28%
Other Ontario 10,746 2,237 2,237 2,616 3,124 2,769 3,084 3,084 38%
Total Ontario 119,741 24,987 24,987 31,858 34,261 28,635 28,870 28,870 16%
Winnipeg 5,137 811 811 1,425 1,467 1,434 1,238 1,238 53%
Other Manitoba 1,355 236 236 381 439 299 304 304 29%
Total Manitoba 6,492 1,047 1,047 1,806 1,906 1,733 1,542 1,542 47%
Regina 570 96 96 122 166 186 168 168 75%
Saskatoon 630 129 129 173 156 172 172 172 33%
Other Saskatchewan 470 154 154 120 91 105 107 107 -31%
Total Saskatchewan 1,670 379 379 415 413 463 447 447 18%
Calgary 9,266 1,811 1,811 2,639 2,582 2,234 2,254 2,254 24%
Edmonton 4,813 916 916 1,223 1,510 1,164 1,229 1,229 34%
Other Alberta 1,751 373 373 433 480 465 515 515 38%
Total Alberta 15,830 3,100 3,100 4,295 4,572 3,863 3,998 3,998 29%
Vancouver 30,766 6,920 6,920 8,501 8,280 7,065 6,798 6,798 -2%
Victoria 948 237 237 228 243 240 148 148 -38%
Other British Columbia 3,514 799 799 956 934 825 1,750 1,750 119%
Total British Columbia 35,228 7,956 7,956 9,685 9,457 8,130 8,696 8,696 9%
Total Territories 160 41 41 36 41 42 40 40 -2%
Not Stated 25 5 5 16 1 3 - - -100%
Total 221,352 45,561 45,561 58,862 63,339 53,590 54,889 54,889 20%

Note: Destination coding is often amended after a record is entered in the
administrative system. As a result, the number of people destined for a census
metropolitan area is understated for the current quarter.

 

 

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Date Published: 2004-09-17 Return to top of page Important Notices