Annual Report to Parliament
on Immigration

2002

Table of Contents

Message from the Honourable Denis Coderre

Introduction

Federal-Provincial/Territorial Considerations

• Federal-Provincial/Territorial Agreements

Selection of Foreign Nationals

• Maintaining Canada's Humanitarian Tradition

New Permanent Residents

• New Permanent Residents in Canada in 2001
• Immigration Arrivals for 2001
• New Permanent Residents in the Province of Quebec for 2001
• Immigration Levels for 2002
• Target Immigration Levels for 2003

Temporary Resident Permits

Permanent Resident Permits: Humanitarian and Compassionate Grounds

Gender-Based Analysis of the Impact of the Act

Conclusion

Tables

Message from the
Honourable Denis Coderre

 
Immigration is fundamental to the development of Canada as a nation. Our rich history tells stories of immigrants who came to Canada looking for opportunities and, by doing so, helped build this country. The future of Canada will be influenced by our ability to attract newcomers who can further enrich Canada's social and economic fabric.

I am pleased to present, to Parliament and the people of Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Canada's 2002 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration. This is the first report under the new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which took effect on June 28, 2002. This report enhances program transparency by presenting information that is broader in scope about immigration and refugee protection.

The new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act positions Canada to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Our objectives are to make Canada a stronger and more inclusive nation while remaining focused on reuniting close family members, protecting those fleeing war or persecution, responding to Canada's economic needs and protecting Canadians from emerging threats.

Our plan for the future builds on this record. Once again, Canadians can expect a modest increase in planned immigration levels for 2003. We have the ingredients in place to deliver a robust immigration program firmly focused on our country's future needs. Together we will build the Canada we want.

Introduction

 
On June 28, 2002, the new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) came into effect, superseding the Immigration Act of 1976. IRPA introduced several new provisions to improve Canada's immigration program. These provisions include new security measures, as well as several tools to make it simpler for admissible persons to enter Canada.

Under IRPA, a report must be tabled in Parliament each year to describe the operation of the Act in the preceding calendar year. The previous Act contained a similar requirement, but there are some new reporting requirements under IRPA. Section 94 requires Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to report on the following:

• its activities and initiatives related to selecting foreign nationals, including measures taken in cooperation with the provinces;
• the number of foreign nationals who became permanent residents and their linguistic profile;
• the projected number of foreign nationals who will become permanent residents in the following year;
• taking into consideration Quebec's responsibility in immigration matters, the number, by category, of permanent residents destined for Quebec and the numbers projected for the following year;
• the number of temporary resident permits issued to overcome inadmissibility;
• the number of foreign nationals, by class, who became permanent residents on humanitarian grounds; and
• a gender-based analysis of the impact of the Act.

In addition, subsection 8(1) of the Act requires the Minister to list federal-provincial/territorial agreements in force.

This 2002 report presents information on immigration levels and related CIC activities during calendar year 2001.

Although IRPA was not in effect during calendar year 2001, this report provides information under the new IRPA reporting requirements. However, IRPA did not apply to selection decisions related to persons who became permanent residents or temporary residents during that year.

This report also provides interim landings, by class, for calendar year 2002 and projects the number of permanent residents for 2003, including the projected number of permanent residents who will settle in the province of Quebec.

Federal-Provincial/
Territorial Considerations

 
Under the Constitution Act, 1867, the federal and provincial/territorial governments share responsibility for immigration, with federal legislation prevailing in the event of a discrepancy between the two. The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, in consultation with the governments of the provinces and territories, sets target immigration levels for Canada.

A federal-provincial/territorial planning table on immigration, established in 2001, provides a mechanism for multilateral consultation and dialogue. It allows both levels of government to more effectively plan and coordinate their immigration-related services and activities, including measures to help immigrants integrate into Canadian society.

Increasingly, provinces, regions and cities view immigration as a tool they can use to achieve their economic and social policy objectives. For example, some provinces want newcomers to fill skill shortages in particular industries, to ensure continued economic expansion or to contribute to regional development strategies.

 
Federal-Provincial/Territorial Agreements

Section 8 of IRPA allows the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to sign agreements with the provinces and territories to coordinate and implement immigration policies and programs. These agreements outline specific responsibilities and establish mechanisms so that provinces and territories can participate in the development of immigration policies and programs. Subsection 8(1) of IRPA requires the Minister to publish an annual list of federal-provincial/territorial agreements in force (please see table 1 for a complete list).

The federal-provincial/territorial agreements in effect at this time generally fall into two categories: immigration framework agreements and provincial/territorial nominees agreements.

Six broad-ranging bilateral agreements provide comprehensive frameworks for federal-provincial/territorial cooperation and highlight the fact that immigration is an area of shared jurisdiction. They establish mechanisms for cooperation, including information sharing, and require consultation on legislative, policy and program changes that may affect the other party. Framework agreements have been signed with Quebec (1991), Manitoba (1996), Saskatchewan and British Columbia (1998), and Yukon and Prince Edward Island (2001).

The most comprehensive agreement is the 1991 Canada-Quebec Accord. Under this agreement, Quebec selects immigrants who intend to settle in the province, other than members of the family class and persons whose refugee status is determined in Canada. Under the agreement, Quebec is also responsible for providing settlement services to all immigrants who choose to live in the province.

Under framework agreements, the federal government is responsible for setting national standards and objectives, defining immigrant categories, setting national immigration levels, selecting immigrants (except those subject to Quebec's selection), determining admissibility to Canada, enforcing IRPA and its regulations, and meeting international obligations toward refugees.

Under the terms of the provincial/territorial nominees agreements, a province or territory can annually identify an agreed number of "provincial/territorial nominees"--economic immigrants expected to contribute significantly to the province's or territory's economic development. Provincial nominees are not subject to the selection grid applied to the federal skilled workers. British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and Yukon have provincial/territorial nominees agreements.

Selection of Foreign Nationals

 
CIC operates in an international environment. Worldwide population growth, market globalization and a wide variety of political, economic, social and environmental trends and events affect every aspect of its programs. Because of increased globalization, enhanced transportation and technology links, and changing trade and market forces, hundreds of millions of people are on the move worldwide. Many foreign nationals are pursuing new economic opportunities, permanently or temporarily.

In 2001, CIC undertook a wide range of selection activities to bring foreign nationals to Canada. In addition to the selection of permanent residents, CIC selected temporary residents, who came to Canada to visit, study or work. Temporary resident volumes have been rising rapidly, making it a challenge for CIC to manage its resources and workload. Between 1997 and 2001, the volume of temporary foreign worker applications grew by 22%, the volume of foreign student applications increased by 88% and the volume of visitor visa applications rose by 11%.

In 2001, CIC granted 209,606 work permits and extensions, up 5% from 2000. In the same year, CIC issued 137,143 student authorizations and extensions, an increase of 14% over 2000. It also issued 125,429 visitor records, an increase of 3% over 2000. Granting temporary resident status to foreign nationals--whether these people come here as visitors, students or foreign workers--enhances Canada's productivity and competitiveness in the global economy.

In 2001, CIC focused particularly on developing new selection criteria and selection tools under IRPA, which received royal assent in November 2001. These changes position CIC to address current and future economic demands by selecting immigrants more capable of adapting to the evolving Canadian labour market. They also provide new tools to reunite families more easily, and to make it simpler for visitors, foreign students and temporary workers to enter Canada.

Under the new IRPA selection criteria, CIC can now select skilled workers who have the range of flexible skills needed in Canada's new economy, rather than workers whose skills qualify them for a single intended occupation. The new criteria are based on an updated and more objective point system developed through extensive research and consultation with the public and with key immigration stakeholders, including provincial and territorial governments. The new regulations also emphasize education, in recognition of the value that the modern Canadian labour market assigns to education, and place greater emphasis on knowledge of one or both of Canada's two official languages. These changes are expected to favour those who can adapt to the Canadian workforce more easily.

The IRPA Regulations make it simpler for business visitors to enter Canada. Business visitors seek to engage in business activities in Canada without directly entering the Canadian labour market. They include people coming to Canada to purchase Canadian goods or services, to sell goods and services to Canadian businesses, or to give or receive training within a Canadian parent or subsidiary of a corporation. Under IRPA, some business visitors, who previously required an employment authorization, may now work in Canada without a work permit, thus rendering the regulations more consistent with NAFTA rules.

Foreign students significantly benefit Canada's economy. On average, each foreign student spends $20,000 per year on tuition fees and living expenses. The new regulations, developed in 2001 and finalized in 2002, increase the exemption period for a study permit from three to six months, to harmonize it with the length of stay normally authorized for visitors. This exemption will now apply to all types of study in Canada. Allowing foreign nationals to study in Canada for up to six months without study permits makes it easier to recruit foreign students for short periods of study in Canada. This helps Canadian educational institutions to compete with those of other countries and to attract more international students.

CIC also pursued a pilot project and a program in 2001 to identify and attract skilled newcomers to Canada.

In September 2001, CIC formalized a pilot project to address a critical skill shortage in the Ontario construction industry. Human Resources Development Canada, CIC and the Greater Toronto Home Builders' Association signed an agreement to ease the entry of up to 500 temporary construction workers over two years. The pilot project will be complemented by a longer-term industry strategy to attract young Canadians to the field, to raise awareness of employment opportunities and to attract workers from high unemployment areas.

On November 30, 2001, CIC launched a program to allow spouses or common-law partners of skilled temporary foreign workers to work in Canada. This program will help Canadian employers attract skilled workers to Canada. Potential workers are expected to be more willing to accept offers from Canadian employers if their spouses or common-law partners can also work in Canada. This initiative includes spouses and common-law partners of management and professional employees, as well as those of technical workers and skilled tradespeople.

 
Maintaining Canada's Humanitarian Tradition

One part of CIC's mandate is to maintain Canada's humanitarian tradition by protecting refugees at home and abroad. Refugee protection is conferred on persons selected abroad through the Refugee Resettlement Program and on persons determined to be Convention refugees through the inland determination process before the Immigration and Refugee Board. Refugees resettled from abroad receive integration support through the Resettlement Assistance Program.

Refugee protection is a central component of IRPA, which provides new tools for identifying and processing persons most in need of protection. In 2001, CIC developed legislative and regulatory tools to help Canada better protect those in need of protection and meet our international obligations, while ensuring that undeserving or ill-intentioned persons do not exploit our protection processes.

New Permanent Residents

 
New permanent Residents in Canada in 2001

In 2001, a total of 250,346 persons became permanent residents of Canada. This number exceeded the planned level for immigrants and refugees by 11% (25,346 persons), due to a special investment in the 2000 federal budget to reduce inventories of immigrant applications at missions overseas. In 2001, economic immigrants and their dependants comprised 61% of the total; 27% of the total were members of the family class; 11% were refugees; and 1% were members of other categories. The number of skilled workers who became permanent residents in 2001 exceeded the target range by 23,819 persons or 21%. The numbers of business permanent residents and provincial nominees were slightly below the target ranges.

In 2001, CIC slightly exceeded its target of 7,300 for government-assisted refugees, as 7,324 persons became permanent residents. The number of privately sponsored refugees fell within the target range, with 3,570 persons resettled in Canada. CIC landed 11,896 refugee claimants who were determined to be Convention refugees by the Immigration and Refugee Board, and 3,740 dependants from abroad. Finally, 1,369 Kosovo refugees who arrived as part of a special movement were granted permanent residence in 2001.

 
Immigration Arrivals for 2001

Permanent residents come to Canada from all over the globe. Main source countries have varied considerably in the past. However, for the last two years, very little change has been noted in the 10 major source countries (see table 3). In 2001, China and India were the top two countries; combined, they represented approximately 27% of the movement.

Of the new permanent residents in 2001, almost half (45.8%) reported speaking English, 4.5% French, and 5.2% both official languages. Immigrants to Canada in 2001 who spoke neither English nor French comprised 44.2% of total newcomers.

 
New Permanent Residents in the Province of Quebec for 2001

As previously noted, the Canada-Quebec Accord gives Quebec sole responsibility for selection [note 2] and integration services. In 2001, 37,427 newcomers destined for Quebec became permanent residents. This was within the projected range of 35,200 to 38,300. Of this total, 17,069 (45%) were skilled workers, 4,531 (12%) were members of the business category, 8,431 (23%) were members of the family class, 7,147 (19%) were refugees and 249 (1%) were members of other categories.

 
Immigration Levels for 2002

Projected immigration levels for 2002 are 210,000 to 235,000 persons. Table 5 shows how many persons, by class, became permanent residents between January and August 2002, and shows projected numbers for all of 2002. Based on the number of persons granted permanent residence in the first eight months of 2002, CIC expects to meet its target range.

 
Target Immigration Levels for 2003

In 2003, CIC expects to bring to Canada between 220,000 and 245,000 newcomers as permanent residents. Of these, 60% (132,000-147,000) are expected to be selected in the economic class, 26% (59,000-64,500) in the family class, 13% (28,100-32,500) as protected persons and less than 1% in other categories (see table 6). The plan underlines CIC's commitment to balancing family reunification, protection and economic components of the program.

As per Quebec's three-year projection for 2001-2003, it is expected that Quebec will settle between 40,000 and 45,000 new permanent residents in 2003. As part of the plan, Quebec expects between 20,600 and 23,700 of these newcomers to be in the economic class; 3,200 to 5,000 to be in the business class; 8,600 to 8,700 to be in the family class; and 7,600 to be refugees.

Temporary Resident Permits

 
Subsection 24(1) of IRPA allows CIC to issue temporary resident permits to foreign nationals who wish to enter or to remain in Canada and would otherwise be inadmissible for technical, medical or criminal reasons. These permits are issued for limited periods of time and can be cancelled at any time. Temporary resident permits give CIC the flexibility to address exceptional circumstances.

A similar provision existed under section 37 of the previous Immigration Act to issue temporary permits, known as Minister's permits, to such individuals.

As IRPA was not in effect in 2001, the number of Minister's permits issued under section 37 of the Immigration Act is reported in tables 7 and 8. The number of Minister's permits issued for reasons of inadmissibility under section 19 of the Immigration Act is provided, as is the number of Minister's permits issued to individuals already in Canada who were found to contravene section 27 of the Immigration Act. The number of permits issued in 2001 remained stable at 3,994 for the year, five more than were issued in 2000.

Permanent Resident Permits:
Humanitarian and Compassionate Grounds

 
Under IRPA, CIC must report on the number of foreign nationals who, while otherwise inadmissible, were accepted as permanent residents due to humanitarian, compassionate or public policy considerations. Although the previous Immigration Act gave CIC similar powers, it did not require CIC to report on this activity. CIC is putting measures in place to capture these data, which will be available in 2003.

Gender-Based Analysis
of the Impact of the Act

 
As a public policy tool, gender-based analysis takes into account important social and economic differences between men and women, and different groups of men and women, at all stages of policy development. This approach makes it possible to identify any potential differential impacts of planned or existing legislation, policies and programs as they are being developed. After doing such an analysis, decision-makers are able to assess an initiative in light of its gender impacts and to determine future action.

In 2001, the gender-based analysis of IRPA has been a primary focus at CIC. An assessment identified a number of provisions in the bill that might have potential gender impacts. CIC modified the provisions to reflect this assessment, and identified areas that would require further data collection, research or ongoing monitoring.

In subsequent reports, it will be possible to focus more closely on particular aspects of IRPA, particularly in relation to refugees, security issues, integration, skilled worker migration and enforcement issues.

Conclusion

 
Worldwide, millions of people are on the move every year. Although many individuals flee war or persecution in their home countries, global migration patterns show that many more migrants consciously decide to seek a better, or different, life abroad. We know that Canada continues to be a destination of choice for these individuals. In 2001, more than half a million people applied to become permanent residents of Canada and more than a million applied for temporary residence.

IRPA, a major milestone for CIC, received royal assent in November 2001. It positions Canada to meet the challenges of the 21st century. CIC also did considerable work in 2001 to develop regulations to IRPA before the Act's June 28, 2002, implementation date. Our objectives are to make Canada a stronger and more inclusive nation while remaining focused on reuniting close family members, protecting those fleeing war or persecution, attracting skilled workers and protecting Canadians from emerging threats.

Security concerns were another key focus for CIC in 2001. CIC worked with our American partners on the Smart Border Declaration and Action Plan toward achieving a secure flow of people to North America. We enhanced document security by designing the Permanent Resident Card. We strengthened security screening at our ports of entry and our missions abroad. We made sharing intelligence and information with our partners a priority. All these steps were taken in support of, and in addition to, the new legislative powers that IRPA provides to keep Canada safe while keeping our doors open to the world.

CIC was also provided with additional resources to reduce inventories of immigrant applications at missions abroad. These efforts resulted in CIC exceeding the upper limit of the 2001 target immigration range. Among the 250,346 newcomers to Canada in 2001, 152,972 (61%) were in the economic class. Another 66,647 (27%) individuals were reunited with family members already in Canada, and 27,899 (11%) refugees found haven in a society whose values uphold freedom from persecution and discrimination.

Our plan for the future builds on this record. Once again, a modest increase in planned immigration levels is announced for the year ahead. We have the ingredients in place to deliver a robust immigration program firmly focused on our country's future needs. Together we will build the Canada we want.

Tables

 
Table 1: Federal-Provincial/Territorial Agreements

 
Table 2: Foreign Nationals Accorded Permanent Resident Status in 2001, by Selection Category and Province of Destination

 
Table 3: Foreign Nationals Accorded Permanent Resident Status by Top 10 Source Countries [note 4]

 
Table 4: Immigration by Language Ability (Principal Applicants and Dependants)

 
Table 5: Immigration Levels for 2002

 
Table 6: 2003 Immigration Plan

 
Table 7: Permits Issued from January 1 to December 31, 2001, [note 9] to Persons Seeking to Enter Canada, by the Inadmissible Classes of Which Those Persons Were Members [note 10]

 
Table 8: Permits Issued from January 1 to December 31, 2001, [note 11] to Persons in Canada, by the Provisions Under Which Reports Were or Could Have Been Made [note 12]

__________

Notes:

1. This figure includes live-in caregivers and special categories.

2. The Quebec government has sole responsibility for selecting all independent immigrants as well as refugees and individuals in similar situations, with the exeption of individuals whose refugee status has been recognized in Canada following an application for asylum.

3. Excludes 364 cases for which information on destination was not available.

4. Numbers include principal applicants and dependants.

5. Jan.-Aug. 2002 landings calculated against the high end of the 2002 plan.

6. As of July 2002, landings in the live-in caregiver category are included in the "total economic" rather than the "other" row, consistent with IRPA categories.

7. By agreement with the Province of Quebec, the reduction in the range reflects 200 refugees destined for Quebec who were selected in 2002 but will become residents in early 2003.

8. By agreement with the Province of Quebec, the increase in the number reflects 200 refugees destined for Quebec who were selected in 2002 and will become residents in early 2003.

9. Numbers published by the Minister on April 30, 2002.

10. As per the inadmissibility criteria under the Immigration Act, 1976

11. Numbers published by the Minister on April 30, 2002.

12. As per the inadmissibility criteria under the Immigration Act, 1976.

For additional copies, contact

Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1L1
Fax: (613) 954-2221

© Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2002
Cat. no. Ci1-2002
ISBN 0-662-66939-8
C&I-512-11-02