Canada at a Glance, 2022
Immigration

In 2021, more than 8.3 million people or almost one in four people (23.0%) are or have been a landed immigrant or permanent resident in Canada. This is the highest proportion on record since Confederation, topping the previous record of 22.3% in 1921.
In the past, the majority of immigrants in Canada came from Europe. In 2021, the majority of immigrants were born in Asia (including the Middle East) and an increasing share were coming from Africa.
In 2021, India is the country of birth of close to one in five recent immigrants (18.6%).

Chart 4 Immigrant population and its percentage of the population, Canada, 1871 to 2021

Data table for Chart 4

Data table for chart 4
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 4. The information is grouped by Census year (appearing as row headers), Immigrant population, calculated using number and percentage units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Census year	Immigrant population
Census year	number	percentage
1871	594,207	16.1
1881	602,984	13.9
1891	643,871	13.3
1901	699,500	13.0
1911	1,586,961	22.0
1921	1,955,736	22.3
1931	2,307,525	22.2
1941	2,018,847	17.5
1951	2,059,911	14.7
1961	2,844,263	15.6
1971	3,295,530	15.3
1981	3,843,335	16.0
1986	3,908,150	15.6
1991	4,342,890	16.1
1996	4,971,070	17.4
2001	5,448,480	18.4
2006	6,186,950	19.8
2011	6,775,770	20.6
2016	7,540,830	21.9
2021	8,361,505	23.0
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 1871 to 2006, 2016, 2021 and National Household Survey, 2011.

Chart 5 Distribution of immigrant population by region of birth, Canada, 1871 to 2021

Data table for Chart 5

Data table for chart 5
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 5. The information is grouped by
Census year (appearing as row headers), Region of birth, Europe , United States, Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America, Africa, Asia (including the Middle East) and Oceania and others, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Census year	Region of birth
	Europe	United States	Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America	Africa	Asia (including the Middle East)	Oceania and others
	percent
1871	88.4	10.9	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.7
1971	79.7	9.4	3.2	1.4	5.0	1.3
1981	66.7	7.8	7.3	2.6	14.1	1.5
1986	62.6	7.2	8.7	2.9	17.5	1.1
1991	54.4	5.7	10.4	3.8	24.6	1.1
1996	46.9	4.9	11.1	4.6	31.4	1.0
2001	42.0	4.4	11.0	5.2	36.5	1.0
2006	36.8	4.0	11.3	6.1	40.8	1.0
2011	31.4	3.9	11.7	7.3	44.9	0.8
2016	27.7	3.4	11.6	8.5	48.1	0.8
2021	22.5	3.9	11.5	9.9	51.4	0.8
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 1871 to 2006, 2016, 2021 and National Household Survey, 2011.

Chart 6 Top 10 places of birth of recent immigrants, Canada, 2021

Data table for Chart 6

Data table for chart 6
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 6. The information is grouped by Place of birth (appearing as row headers), Recent immigrants , calculated using percentage units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Place of birth	Recent immigrants
Place of birth	percentage
India	18.6
Philippines	11.4
China	8.9
Syria	4.8
Nigeria	3.0
United States	3.0
Pakistan	2.7
France	2.0
Iran	1.9
United Kingdom	1.7
Notes: "Recent immigrants" refers to immigrants who first obtained their landed immigrant or permanent resident status in Canada in the five years prior to a given census. In the 2021 Census, the period is January 1, 2016 to May 11, 2021. Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021.

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