Insights on Canadian Society
Non-permanent residents in Canada: Portrait of a growing population from the 2021 Census
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Overview of the study
Using new data from the 2021 Census, this article provides a portrait of non-permanent residents (NPRs) living in Canada. More specifically, this article takes a closer look at the socio-demographic picture of NPRs, such as age, place of residence, place of birth, living arrangements, education and occupation. For the first time, the 2021 Census incorporated administrative information from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on the types of non-permanent residents. The article explores this new information on non-permanent resident type and reports on NPRs who came to Canada to work, study or seek refugee protection.
- In 2021, 924,850 non-permanent residents (NPRs) were enumerated in the Census, making up 2.5% of Canada’s total enumerated population.Note
- NPRs with work permit only were the largest segment of the NPR population (40.1%). This was nearly double the proportion of NPRs with a study permit only (21.9%). Asylum claimants (15.1%), NPRs with work and study permit (14.2%) and other NPR type (8.7%) followed.
- Overall, NPRs were much younger than the rest of the Canadian population, which includes both immigrants and non-immigrants. Just over three in five were between the ages of 20 and 34 years (60.1%), compared to 18.4% for the rest of the Canadian population.
- India and China were the top places of birth of NPRs, with almost two in five born in these two countries.
- NPRs were almost nine times more likely to live in private households with roommates (30.2%) than the rest of the Canadian population (3.6%). They were also more likely (59.4%) than the rest of the population (16.9%) to live in rental apartments.
- The proportion of NPRs aged 15 years and over with a bachelor’s degree or higher (47.8%) was much higher than the rest of the Canadian population (26.1%).
- NPRs aged 15 years and over, who worked in 2020 or 2021 prior to the Census, were more often in occupations requiring no formal education than the rest of the population (23.7% to 15.7% respectively) and in sales and service occupations (36.4% to 25.0% respectively).
- Each non-permanent resident type had a unique set of traits that reflected their main reason for coming to Canada. Among all NPRs, those with a work permit only were most often in the core working age, between 25 and 54 years (79.9%). They also had the highest labour force participation rate at 88.0%.
- NPRs with study permit had the youngest age profile, with seven in ten (71.4%) falling between the ages of 0 to 24 years. They also had the highest rate of school attendance at 85.2%.
- Asylum claimants had the most unique set of characteristics among all NPRs. Their top of place of birth was Nigeria (10.7%). Unlike other NPR types, Haiti and Colombia were among the top ten places of birth for asylum claimants. Asylum claimants also had a wider distribution across all age groups compared to other NPRs.
- Asylum claimants aged 15 years and older had the lowest educational attainment, as about half did not complete any postsecondary education. They had the second-highest unemployment rate among NPR type.
Introduction
Today, in Canada, non-permanent residents (NPRs)Note represent an increasing segment of the population, contributing to the country’s overall economy and its population growth.Note NPRs are persons from another country who live in Canada temporarily. Some of these NPRs come expressly to fill jobs in Canada as temporary foreign workers. Others come to study in Canada as international students. Asylum claimants who seek refugee protectionNote in Canada are also NPRs.
When NPRs were first counted in the 1991 Census, they made up less than one percent (0.8%) of the population. In the 2021 Census, 2.5% of Canada’s enumerated population were NPRs. In recent years, a rise of NPRs has also been seen globally, particularly among temporary foreign workers and international students.Note In Canada, temporary foreign workers and international students have become an important source of labour supply.Note Note In fact, Canada has led in the rise of international students among other major Western countries.Note
Both worldwide events and specific country needs have contributed to the growth of NPRs. This includes globalization and economic agreements, such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, economic needs and geopolitical developments.Note Other factors include political shifts, such as changes in government, and policy measures to attract NPRs, which are likely related to the growth of international students in Canada.Note
NPRs also benefit through the earnings they can send home, combined with the experiences gained by living in Canada. For example, two-step immigration, where individuals enter Canada first as NPRs and subsequently immigrate, improves the integration and income of immigrants.Note In 2021, more than a third of recent immigrants had previously lived in Canada as NPRs on work or study permits or as asylum claimants before immigrating.
NPRs are a fabric of Canadian society. They contribute to the growth of the population, help fill labour shortages and support the economy.Note The mobility of NPRs, however, can make them a difficult population to study (see box “Census coverage of non-permanent residents in Canada”), rendering the census a key data source to study this population. The census captures the size, characteristics and distribution of the population at a specific point in time (see box “Data sources, methods and definitions”. Reporting NPRs with the census facilitates comparisons with provincial and territorial statistics, which includes NPRs. In doing so, it provides information for planning policies and services, such as health care, education and employment programs.Note
For the first time, the 2021 Census distinguished NPRs by their reason for temporary residence in Canada. By integrating census data with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) administrative records, it was possible to derive non-permanent resident type (NPR type). The non-permanent resident types include asylum claimants, NPRs with work permit only, NPRs with study permit only, NPRs with work and study permit and other non-permanent resident type. This information helps identify the characteristics of each type to better address the needs of each group.
This paper provides a portrait of enumerated NPRs from the 2021 Census, including the key characteristics on asylum claimants and NPRs with work and/or study permit. The paper begins with an overview of the socio-demographic characteristics of NPRs, including age, gender, geography, housing and education. Next, the paper explores the contribution of NPRs in the Canadian labour market.
This study focuses on findings from the 2021 Census and does not make comparisons with earlier censuses given the new method of reporting NPRs.Note The precise growth of NPRs between 2016 to 2021, for example, cannot be directly ascertained as it is partially explained by this new method. Similarly, comparing NPR type with earlier censuses is not possible as this is the first time the data are available.
The 2021 Census was conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic highlighted the precariousness of NPRs as Canada and many countries imposed shutdowns, border closures and travel restrictions. This meant that many NPRs could not return to their country of origin, while others who had planned on entering Canada had to cancel or delay these plans. While the full impact of the pandemic on NPRs cannot be assessed in this study, the paper is a foundation for future analyses to better understand this population.
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Census coverage of non-permanent residents in Canada
Every effort is made to obtain a comprehensive count when conducting a census in a large and diverse country like Canada. Despite best efforts, undercounting of some demographic groups occurs. This includes mobile and precarious populations like non-permanent residents (NPRs).Note Note Note Unfamiliarity with the census or reluctance to complete a government form are some factors that may prevent NPRs from completing the census. Some NPRs may not see their temporary residence in Canada as their usual place of residence and understand they are required to participate. This is especially evident if a permit is short-term or entry is shortly before Census Day.Note Thus, coverage studies are conducted after each census to help estimate the undercoverage of NPRs.Note
It is important to note that other data sources on the NPR population exists. The 2021 Census of Population estimates the non-permanent resident population living in private households in Canada on Census Day, May 11, 2021. In comparison, the administrative data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) provide information on the total number of non-permanent residents in Canada with a work or study permit or an asylum claim. The IRCC data cannot be used to estimate the population of NPRs living in Canada as they do not account for any outflows, such as deaths or exits from the country. Since IRCC provides the total number of all non-permanent residents in Canada with a valid permit, this administrative data count is higher than the census estimates of NPR living in Canada at a given point in time. The Longitudinal Immigration Database (IMDB) combines IRCC data with tax data files. As such, it only captures tax-filing NPRs on a given year and will have a different estimate than the census and IRCC administrative data. Due to differences in methodology and reference period, differences across these data sources are expected. For more on the comparability of data sources on non-permanent resident, see Place of Birth, Generation Status, Citizenship and Immigration Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021.
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Close to one million non-permanent residents reported living in Canada in the 2021 Census
In 2021, 924,850 non-permanent residents (NPRs) were enumerated in the census, making up 2.5% of Canada’s enumerated population. NPRs are persons from another country with a usual place of residence in Canada. Some make a refugee claim and reside in the country as they wait for a decision, while others apply to reside in the country temporarily to either work and/or study. Family members living with those who work and/or study temporarily may also be included in the NPR population, unless they are already Canadian citizens, landed immigrants or permanent residents.
The 2021 Census distinguishes NPRs broadly by their category of entry: asylum claimant, non-permanent resident with work permit only, non-permanent resident with study permit only, non-permanent resident with work and study permit or other non-permanent resident type (see “Data sources, methods and definitions” box for the Derivation of NPR type). NPRs with work permit only were the largest segment of the NPR population (40.1%) (Table 1). This was nearly double the proportion of NPRs with a study permit only (21.9%). Asylum claimants (15.1%), NPRs with work and study permit (14.2%) and other NPR type (8.7%) followed.
| Non-permanent resident type | Number | Distribution (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Asylum claimants | 139,200 | 15.1 |
| Non-permanent residents with work permit only | 370,420 | 40.1 |
| Non-permanent residents with study permit only | 202,790 | 21.9 |
| Non-permanent residents with work and study permit | 131,560 | 14.2 |
| Other non-permanent resident type | 80,875 | 8.7 |
| Total - Non-permanent residents | 924,850 | 100.0 |
| Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021. | ||
Over nine in ten non-permanent residents lived in large urban centres
In 2021, enumerated non-permanent residents (NPRs) in the census most often lived in Ontario (41.9%), Quebec (22.2%) and British Columbia (18.5%) (Table 2). These were also the top most populous provinces for the rest of the Canadian population comprised of immigrants and non-immigrants.
While the provincial and territorial distribution was fairly similar across most NPR types, over one-half (52.0%) of asylum claimants lived in Ontario, higher than the proportion for the rest of the population (38.5%). Slightly over one-third (35.9%) of all asylum claimants lived in Quebec, compared to 22.9% of the rest of the population. On the contrary, a much lower share of asylum claimants lived in British Columbia (5.8%) than the rest of the population (13.4%).
Similar to recent immigrants (92.4%), most NPRs (92.3%) lived in one of Canada’s 41 Census metropolitan areas (CMA) (Table 3). This was higher than the rest of the Canadian population, where almost three-quarters (73.5%) lived in a CMA.Note Many NPRs lived in Canada’s top three urban centres: Toronto (27.0%), Montreal (17.5%) and Vancouver (14.4%). There was a particularly high density of enumerated NPRs in the primary downtown core of these cities (9.7%, 18.1% and 10.1%, respectively).
The top census subdivisions (CSD)Note with the highest proportion of NPRs included Metro Vancouver A (Regional district electoral area) (18.5%), Whistler (10.4%), Charlottetown (8.7%) and Waterloo (8.7%). Metro Vancouver A, where the University of British Columbia is situated, had the highest share of all CSDs of NPRs with study permit only (9.2%), while Whistler had the highest share of NPRs with work permit only (8.2%).
A much lower proportion of NPRs lived in rural areas (3.2%) than the rest of the Canadian population (16.3%).
| Provinces and territories | Asylum claimants | Non-permanent residents with work permit only | Non-permanent residents with study permit only | Non-permanent residents with work and study permit | Other non-permanent resident type | Total - Non-permanent residents | Rest of the population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| percentage | |||||||
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 0.1 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.4 |
| Prince Edward Island | 0.0 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.4 |
| Nova Scotia | 0.3 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 2.6 |
| New Brunswick | 0.2 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 2.1 |
| Quebec | 35.9 | 20.2 | 18.4 | 21.4 | 18.9 | 22.2 | 22.9 |
| Ontario | 52.0 | 39.4 | 37.6 | 44.6 | 43.0 | 41.9 | 38.5 |
| Manitoba | 0.9 | 4.1 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 2.8 | 3.7 | 3.6 |
| Saskatchewan | 0.3 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 3.1 |
| Alberta | 4.4 | 8.1 | 7.6 | 4.3 | 9.6 | 7.0 | 11.6 |
| British Columbia | 5.8 | 20.4 | 23.8 | 18.0 | 19.4 | 18.5 | 13.4 |
| Yukon | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Northwest Territories | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Nunavut | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Canada | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021. | |||||||
Younger people made up a considerable share of the non-permanent resident population
Just over three in five non-permanent residents (NPRs) enumerated in the 2021 Census were young adults between ages 20 to 34 years (60.1%) (Table 3). This compares to 37.3% of recent immigrants and 18.4% of the rest of the Canadian population.
Among NPRs with a work permit only, four in five (79.9%) were part of the core working age group (25 to 54 years), by far the largest proportion of all NPR types within this age group.
While children and older adults aged 55 years and older were among the smallest groups of NPRs, their representation was greatest among asylum claimants. In particular, 22.7% of asylum claimants were aged 0 to 14 years and 7.8% were aged 55 years and older. Almost no NPRs with study permit only (0.5%) and with work and study permit (0.6%) were 55 years and older.
More than half of NPRs were menNote (54.0%) and this same pattern was found across all NPR types. The gender distribution of NPRs differed from the rest of the Canadian population, comprised of immigrants and non-immigrants, as just over half (50.7%) were womenNote .
| Characteristics | Asylum claimants | Non-permanent residents with work permit only | Non-permanent residents with study permit only | Non-permanent residents with work and study permit | Other non-permanent resident type | Total - Non-permanent residents | Rest of the population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| percentage | |||||||
| Place of residence | |||||||
| Census metropolitan area | 97.3 | 88.7 | 94.5 | 94.2 | 92.0 | 92.3 | 73.5 |
| Census agglomeration | 1.8 | 5.9 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 10.2 |
| Rural area | 0.9 | 5.4 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 4.3 | 3.2 | 16.3 |
| Gender | |||||||
| Men+ | 53.1 | 55.2 | 54.1 | 53.2 | 51.0 | 54.0 | 49.3 |
| Women+ | 46.9 | 44.8 | 45.9 | 46.8 | 49.0 | 46.0 | 50.7 |
| Age group | |||||||
| 0 to 14 years | 22.7 | 0.0 | 17.0 | 0.0 | 26.8 | 9.5 | 16.7 |
| 15 to 19 years | 6.7 | 0.5 | 15.7 | 5.3 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
| 20 to 24 years | 6.9 | 17.2 | 38.6 | 46.9 | 9.9 | 23.9 | 5.5 |
| 25 to 34 years | 19.5 | 50.3 | 22.9 | 37.3 | 31.7 | 36.2 | 12.9 |
| 35 to 44 years | 23.5 | 22.1 | 4.1 | 7.7 | 14.9 | 15.7 | 13.4 |
| 45 to 54 years | 13.0 | 7.5 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 6.9 | 6.1 | 12.9 |
| 55 years and over | 7.8 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 4.4 | 2.7 | 33.1 |
| Racialized groupTable 3 Note 1 | |||||||
| South Asian | 14.2 | 37.0 | 29.2 | 45.9 | 20.8 | 31.7 | 6.4 |
| Chinese | 3.2 | 8.7 | 22.0 | 13.1 | 13.3 | 11.8 | 4.5 |
| Black | 36.3 | 5.5 | 9.2 | 7.7 | 11.1 | 11.8 | 4.1 |
| Latin American | 17.7 | 8.0 | 5.7 | 6.0 | 7.7 | 8.6 | 1.4 |
| Arab | 8.7 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 1.8 |
| Filipino | 0.2 | 5.7 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 2.6 |
| West Asian | 7.2 | 1.8 | 3.9 | 2.9 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 0.9 |
| Korean | 0.1 | 2.9 | 3.9 | 2.4 | 8.4 | 3.1 | 0.5 |
| Southeast Asian | 0.4 | 2.3 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 1.0 |
| Japanese | 0.0 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.3 |
| Racialized group, not included elsewhere | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.5 |
| Multiple racialized groups | 1.7 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.9 |
| Knowledge of official languages | |||||||
| English only | 58.5 | 77.9 | 81.6 | 83.7 | 76.4 | 76.5 | 68.8 |
| French only | 14.6 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 7.0 | 6.2 | 11.2 |
| English and French | 13.6 | 13.3 | 12.0 | 11.1 | 11.3 | 12.6 | 18.2 |
| Neither English nor French | 13.4 | 4.1 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 1.8 |
|
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Close to three in ten non-permanent residents were born in India, making it the top place of birth
In 2021, 59.4% of non-permanent residents (NPRs) enumerated in the 2021 Census were born in Asia, similar to the proportion of recent immigrants (62.0%). The most common place of birth for NPRs was India (28.5%), followed by China (10.5%) (Table 4). These were the top places of birth across most provinces, with the exception of Quebec, where France (20.4%) was the most common place of birth of NPRs.
Apart from asylum claimants, India and China were the two top countries of birth for each NPR type. In particular, India was the top place of birth for NPRs with work and study permits (43.1%). Almost one in five NPRs with only a study permit were born in China (19.8%), more than double the proportion of NPRs with only a work permit (7.7%). France was the third top place of birth for NPRs with work and/or study permits.
Among NPRs who were asylum claimants, Nigeria was the top place of birth in 2021 (10.7%), followed by India (8.3%) and Mexico (8.1%). Out of the top ten places of birth for each NPR type, Haiti (6.8%) and Colombia (5.0%) were unique to asylum claimants. The top place of birth of asylum claimants varied markedly between provinces. Of asylum claimants living in Ontario, Nigeria (15.4%) was their top place of birth, while for Quebec, it was Haiti (17.6%) and in British Columbia, it was Iran (29.8%).
| Rank | Asylum claimants | Non-permanent residents with work permit only | Non-permanent residents with study permit only | Non-permanent residents with work and study permit | Other non-permanent resident type | Total - Non-permanent residents | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| place of birth | percentage | place of birth | percentage | place of birth | percentage | place of birth | percentage | place of birth | percentage | place of birth | percentage | |
| 1 | Nigeria | 10.7 | India | 35.2 | India | 24.7 | India | 43.1 | India | 17.8 | India | 28.5 |
| 2 | India | 8.3 | China | 7.7 | China | 19.8 | China | 11.7 | China | 11.5 | China | 10.5 |
| 3 | Mexico | 8.1 | France | 7.6 | France | 4.1 | France | 3.6 | Korea, South | 8.1 | France | 5.1 |
| 4 | Haiti | 6.8 | Philippines | 6.0 | Iran | 4.1 | Brazil | 3.1 | France | 6.4 | Philippines | 3.6 |
| 5 | Iran | 6.4 | Brazil | 3.7 | Korea, South | 3.8 | Viet Nam | 3.0 | United States of America | 5.6 | Mexico | 3.5 |
| 6 | Colombia | 5.0 | Mexico | 3.3 | United States of America | 3.4 | Iran | 2.8 | Brazil | 3.7 | Nigeria | 3.2 |
| 7 | United States of America | 3.7 | Korea, South | 2.9 | Vietnam | 3.0 | Philippines | 2.5 | Philippines | 3.6 | Iran | 3.1 |
| 8 | China | 3.1 | United States of America | 2.4 | Brazil | 3.0 | Korea, South | 2.5 | Mexico | 3.2 | Korea, South | 3.0 |
| 9 | Pakistan | 2.5 | United Kingdom | 2.2 | Nigeria | 2.8 | Mexico | 1.8 | Nigeria | 2.9 | Brazil | 3.0 |
| 10 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 2.4 | Iran | 1.8 | Philippines | 2.1 | Nigeria | 1.7 | United Kingdom | 2.4 | United States of America | 2.9 |
| Note ...: not applicable | Other places of birth | 43.0 | Other places of birth | 27.3 | Other places of birth | 29.2 | Other places of birth | 24.1 | Other places of birth | 34.8 | Other places of birth | 33.7 |
|
... not applicable Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021. |
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Over four in five non-permanent residents were part of a racialized group
Based on the 2021 Census, non-permanent residents (NPRs) were three times more likely to be part of a racialized group (83.1%) than the rest of the Canadian population (25.1%). South Asians (31.7%), Chinese (11.8%), Black people (11.8%) and Latin Americans (8.6%) were the most common racialized groups among NPRs, representing close to two thirds (63.9%) of all NPRs (Table 3).
Black people (36.3%), Latin Americans (17.7%) and South Asians (14.2%) were the top three racialized groups among asylum claimants. South Asian was the top racialized group among NPRs with work and/or study permits. Chinese were especially prominent for those with a study permit only (22.0%).
Majority of non-permanent residents had knowledge of an official language
In 2021, a vast majority (95.3%) of non-permanent residents (NPRs) enumerated in the Census had knowledge of an official language (Table 3). This proportion was slightly higher than recent immigrants (92.7%). Almost all NPRs with study permit only (97.7%) and work and study permit (99.0%) had knowledge of either English or French. While asylum claimants were the least likely among NPRs to know an official language, the proportion was still high at 86.7%.
In 2021, 42.3% of NPRs in Quebec had knowledge of both official languages, while slightly over one quarter (26.6%) had knowledge of English only and another 26.1% knew French only.
NPRs with work and study permit in Quebec had the lowest proportion across NPR types with knowledge of French, but the highest proportion with knowledge of English. In 2021, 40.3% of NPRs with work and study permit had knowledge of both official languages. Another 18.1% had knowledge of French only and 41.0% had knowledge of English only. For their part, more than half of NPRs with work permit only had knowledge of both official languages (51.0%), while a similar proportion had knowledge of English only (23.1%) and French only (22.0%). Outside of Quebec, most NPRs knew English (94.8%), while 4.6% of NPRs knew French, a smaller proportion than that of recent immigrants (5.3%).
More non-permanent residents lived in apartments, unsuitable housing and with roommates than the rest of the population
Apartments were the most common dwelling type for enumerated non-permanent residents (NPRs) living in private householdsNote , whether they lived in a large or small city. Almost three in five (59.4%) NPRs lived in rented apartments (Table 5). This was higher than the proportion for recent immigrants (41.5%) and much greater than for established immigrants (18.4%) and non-immigrants (15.3%).
Almost a third (32.9%) of NPRs lived in housing that did not have enough bedrooms for the size and composition of the household, according to the National Occupancy Standards. The prevalence of this living situation was more than three times higher than for the rest of the Canadian population (9.1%).
In 2021, three in ten (30.2%) NPRs lived in households composed of roommates, that is, two or more people living together, among which none were part of a census familyNote . This compared to 3.6% of the rest of the population. Living with roommates was most common among NPRs with work and study permit (51.9%) and NPRs with study permit only (38.8%). NPRs living with roommates tended to be men (63.2%), young (46.4% were aged 20 to 24 years) and living in apartments (68.9%). Half of NPRs who lived with roommates (49.9%) did not have an adequate number of bedrooms, while less than one in six (16.1%) of the rest of the population faced the same circumstances.
A smaller share of NPRs lived in one census family households compared to the rest of the population (54.4% to 79.1%, respectively). Asylum claimants (73.6%) had the largest share across NPR types in a one census family household. Asylum claimants (13.7%) were also most likely among all NPRs to live in a one-parent household with no additional people, of which, 63.9% were women.
| Characteristics | Asylum claimants | Non-permanent residents with work permit only | Non-permanent residents with study permit only | Non-permanent residents with work and study permit | Other non-permanent resident type | Total - Non-permanent residents | Rest of the population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| percentage | |||||||
| Household type | |||||||
| One couple census family with children | 47.0 | 26.9 | 26.3 | 12.8 | 47.1 | 29.6 | 44.8 |
| One-parent census family household | 17.5 | 3.0 | 7.8 | 3.7 | 8.3 | 6.8 | 11.4 |
| One couple census family without children | 9.1 | 25.3 | 12.2 | 16.9 | 17.4 | 18.1 | 22.8 |
| Multiple-census-family household | 7.1 | 5.7 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 5.7 | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| One-person household | 7.6 | 10.8 | 11.0 | 10.6 | 7.7 | 10.1 | 12.1 |
| Two-or-more-person non-census-family household | 11.7 | 28.3 | 38.8 | 51.9 | 13.9 | 30.2 | 3.6 |
| Tenure and type of dwelling | |||||||
| Apartment renter | 66.1 | 58.7 | 58.4 | 61.7 | 50.6 | 59.4 | 16.9 |
| Apartment owner | 4.4 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 5.9 | 7.4 | 6.0 | 8.9 |
| House renter | 19.1 | 19.2 | 18.8 | 18.4 | 20.9 | 19.1 | 9.5 |
| House owner | 10.3 | 15.8 | 16.2 | 14.0 | 20.8 | 15.3 | 62.9 |
| Other types of tenure and dwellings | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 1.7 |
| Not suitable housingTable 5 Note 1 | 41.5 | 29.2 | 31.8 | 40.1 | 26.3 | 32.9 | 9.1 |
|
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Almost half of non-permanent residents aged 15 years and older had a bachelor’s degree or higher
Among the population aged 15 years and older, 36.6% of non-permanent residents (NPRs) enumerated in the 2021 Census attended an educational institution in the 9 months prior to the Census, much greater than the rest of the population (13.0%) (Table 6). The younger age structure of NPRs and the fact that some NPRs came to Canada to study mainly explain this difference.
In 2021, 62.5% of NPRs aged 20 to 24 years attended school, compared to 50.7% of the rest of the population. Post-secondary attendance was highest among this age group, particularly among NPRs with a study permit. Among NPRs with a study permit only, university attendance (49.4%) was more common than attending a college-level institution (24.6%). The opposite was seen for NPRs with work and study permit: 46.4% attended college-level institutions and 26.7% attended university.
Close to half of all NPRs aged 15 years and older had a bachelor’s degree or higher (47.8%), with 27.4% having a bachelor’s degree and 20.4% having a degree above the bachelor level. The proportion of NPRs with a bachelor’s degree or higher was much higher than the rest of the population (26.1%), but slightly lower than the share of recent immigrants (51.1%). NPRs with work permit only had the highest educational attainment, with 57.7% having a bachelor’s degree or above. In comparison, 48.5% of NPRs with work and study permit had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Asylum claimants were the least likely among NPR types to hold a bachelor’s degree or higher (28.6%). Instead, asylum claimants aged 15 years and older were the largest share of all NPR types that had no certificate, diploma or degree (22.8%), or only a high school diploma or equivalent (27.3%).
Postsecondary certification was generally obtained outside Canada (63.3%). This was particularly true for asylum claimants (86.0%). The one exception was NPRs with work and study permit. In this case, a slight majority (53.1%) obtained their highest certification in Canada.
| Characteristics | Asylum claimants | Non-permanent residents with work permit only | Non-permanent residents with study permit only | Non-permanent residents with work and study permit | Other non-permanent resident type | Total - Non-permanent residents | Rest of the population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| percentage | |||||||
| School attendanceTable 6 Note 1 | |||||||
| Attended elementary or secondary school only | 8.6 | 0.2 | 10.4 | 0.9 | 6.1 | 3.9 | 4.6 |
| Attended college, CEGEP, trade school or other non-university institution only | 7.5 | 5.7 | 24.6 | 46.4 | 5.9 | 16.1 | 3.6 |
| Attended university only | 2.3 | 3.2 | 49.4 | 26.7 | 6.3 | 16.3 | 4.7 |
| Multiple responses | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| Did not attend school | 81.5 | 90.9 | 14.8 | 25.6 | 81.6 | 63.4 | 87.0 |
| Highest certificate, diploma or degree | |||||||
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 22.8 | 3.6 | 10.1 | 2.2 | 10.2 | 7.6 | 16.4 |
| High (secondary) school diploma or equivalency certificate | 27.3 | 12.6 | 38.6 | 23.7 | 19.4 | 22.0 | 26.8 |
| Apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma | 7.1 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 8.9 |
| College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma | 9.3 | 16.6 | 9.3 | 17.6 | 13.0 | 14.1 | 19.0 |
| University certificate or diploma below bachelor level | 4.9 | 5.8 | 3.7 | 6.1 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 2.9 |
| Bachelor's degree | 17.3 | 32.1 | 21.1 | 29.8 | 28.8 | 27.4 | 17.2 |
| University certificate, diploma or degree above bachelor level | 11.3 | 25.6 | 16.2 | 18.7 | 20.0 | 20.4 | 8.9 |
| Highest postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree obtained from a Canadian institutionTable 6 Note 2 | 14.0 | 33.8 | 43.8 | 53.1 | 34.5 | 36.7 | 82.3 |
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Non-permanent residents had a higher labour force participation rate than the rest of the Canadian population
For the population aged 15 years and older, 74.2% of non-permanent residents (NPRs) participated in the labour force during the Census reference week (Table 7).Note NPRs’ participation rate was higher than for both recent immigrants (73.0%) and the rest of the population (63.4%). The older age structure of the rest of the population largely explained their lower participation rate. Among the core working ages of 25 to 54 years during the Census reference week, NPRs (81.0%) and recent immigrants (81.9%) had a lower participation rate than the rest of the population (85.8%).
The participation rate, unemployment rate and work activity of NPRs aged 15 years and older varied widely by NPR type, broadly reflecting their main reason for coming to the country. Having a work permit only was related to higher rates of labour force participation. In particular, they had the highest participation rate (88.0%) and the lowest unemployment rate (7.2%). The next highest participation rate was seen for NPRs with work and study permit at 76.8%. Their unemployment rate, however, was almost double the rate of those with work permit only (13.2% versus 7.2%).
About two-thirds (65.6%) of asylum claimants aged 15 years and older were active on the labour market, reflecting the fact that they may request an open work permit when submitting a claim. However, their unemployment rate was double that of NPRs with work permit only (15.9% versus 7.2%).
While NPRs with study permit only can work on and off campus if they meet eligibility requirements, they had the lowest participation rate (51.5%) and the highest unemployment rate (17.8%).
Of the 559,585 NPRs aged 15 years and over who worked in 2020Note , less than half (43.6%) worked the full yearNote . This compares to 59.3% of the rest of the population, comprised of immigrants and non-immigrants, who worked in 2020. The transient nature of NPRs’ residency in Canada may have had an impact on their work activity in 2020 as some might have arrived during the year. Differences, however, emerged by NPR type. NPRs with work permit only, who worked in 2020, were more likely to have worked full timeNote than the than the rest of the population (86.8% versus 78.7%).
Part time employment was most common for NPRs with study permit only and NPRs with work and study permit who worked in 2020 (74.4% and 63.4% respectively).
| Characteristics | Asylum claimants | Non-permanent residents with work permit only | Non-permanent residents with study permit only | Non-permanent residents with work and study permit | Other non-permanent resident type | Total - Non-permanent residents | Rest of the population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| percentage | |||||||
| Participation rateTable 7 Note 1 | 65.6 | 88.0 | 51.5 | 76.8 | 61.7 | 74.2 | 63.4 |
| Unemployment rateTable 7 Note 1 | 15.9 | 7.2 | 17.8 | 13.2 | 10.3 | 10.9 | 10.3 |
| Employment rateTable 7 Note 1 | 55.2 | 81.6 | 42.3 | 66.6 | 55.3 | 66.1 | 56.8 |
| Worked in 2020 | 56.3 | 80.5 | 45.6 | 67.1 | 60.6 | 66.8 | 63.2 |
| Work activity in 2020Table 7 Note 2 | |||||||
| Worked full year, full-time | 34.1 | 49.0 | 12.4 | 13.9 | 51.6 | 37.0 | 53.7 |
| Worked part year, full-time | 42.8 | 37.8 | 13.2 | 22.7 | 30.7 | 32.1 | 25.0 |
| Worked full year, part-time | 3.6 | 3.0 | 15.3 | 14.3 | 3.5 | 6.6 | 5.6 |
| Worked part year, part-time | 19.6 | 10.1 | 59.1 | 49.1 | 14.2 | 24.3 | 15.7 |
| OccupationTable 7 Note 3 | |||||||
| Legislative and senior management occupations | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.3 |
| Business, finance and administration occupations | 8.4 | 14.1 | 8.2 | 12.6 | 15.0 | 12.4 | 17.4 |
| Natural and applied sciences and related occupations | 3.2 | 16.5 | 4.8 | 11.0 | 15.3 | 12.3 | 7.9 |
| Health occupations | 11.7 | 4.9 | 2.7 | 3.9 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 7.8 |
| Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services | 4.9 | 8.5 | 16.8 | 7.7 | 11.3 | 9.4 | 12.4 |
| Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport | 1.4 | 3.8 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 4.1 | 2.9 | 3.4 |
| Sales and service occupations | 32.3 | 31.1 | 49.1 | 46.0 | 30.1 | 36.4 | 25.0 |
| Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations | 23.9 | 13.3 | 11.0 | 11.2 | 13.7 | 13.8 | 17.2 |
| Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations | 1.7 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 3.0 |
| Occupations in manufacturing and utilities | 12.3 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 5.2 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 4.5 |
| Occupation - Training, Education, Experience and Responsibility (TEER)Table 7 Note 4 category | |||||||
| TEER 0 - management occupations | 3.8 | 9.0 | 2.5 | 3.9 | 9.5 | 6.6 | 11.5 |
| TEER 1 - professional occupations | 5.4 | 22.7 | 20.4 | 17.0 | 24.6 | 19.6 | 19.2 |
| TEER 2 - occupations | 11.1 | 21.4 | 8.2 | 13.9 | 19.8 | 16.9 | 20.4 |
| TEER 3 - occupations | 22.9 | 16.3 | 10.9 | 14.2 | 16.8 | 15.9 | 17.1 |
| TEER 4 - occupations | 20.6 | 15.1 | 21.1 | 19.8 | 13.9 | 17.4 | 16.0 |
| TEER 5 - occupations | 36.1 | 15.5 | 37.0 | 31.2 | 15.5 | 23.7 | 15.7 |
| Overqualification of university graduatesTable 7 Note 5 | 50.7 | 24.7 | 43.0 | 44.6 | 22.5 | 32.4 | 15.9 |
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More than a third of non-permanent residents worked in sales and service occupations
Sales and service occupations were the top occupations of all non-permanent residents (NPRs) aged 15 years and over, enumerated in the 2021 Census and who worked in 2020 or 2021 prior to the CensusNote . More than a third of NPRs (36.4%) worked in sales and services occupations, compared to a quarter (25.0%) of the rest of the Canadian population (Table 7).
Overall, sales and service occupations were most common among NPRs with some type of study permit. Specifically, almost half of NPRs with study permit only (49.1%) and work and study permit (46.0%) worked in retail sale and customer or service support occupations, sectors often occupied by younger workers. As such, this high proportion can partly be explained by the younger age structure of these NPRs than the rest of the population. Among NPRs with study permit only between the ages of 20 to 24 years, 58.9% worked in sales and service occupations, a higher share than the rest of the population (39.6%).
At the same time, NPRs with study permit only were also more often in education, law and social community and government service occupations (16.8%) than other NPRs and the rest of the population (12.4%). This was related to over one in ten (12.3%) working as post-secondary teaching and research assistants (Table A1).
More NPRs with work permit only (16.5%) and work and study permit (11.0%) were in the natural and applied sciences and related occupations than other NPRs and the rest of the population (7.9%).
Asylum claimants had the most unique occupation profile compared to other NPRs and the rest of the population. Asylum claimants were more often in trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations (23.9%), manufacturing and utilities occupations (12.3%) and health occupations (11.7%). In health occupations, 10.3% of asylum claimants worked as nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates. (Table A1) This occupation was the most common among asylum claimants, particularly women (20.3%). In comparison, only 3.2% of women in the rest of the population worked in this occupation.
Even with high educational attainment, non-permanent residents were more often in occupations requiring no formal education
The skill level needed for occupations held by NPRs differed from the rest of the population. Skill level was measured using the training, education, experience and responsibilities (TEER) categories. As shown above, NPRs had a higher educational attainment, on average, than the rest of the population. However, NPRs were more often in occupations requiring no formal education (TEER 5) than the rest of the population (23.7% to 15.7% respectively) (Table 7). NPRs were also less likely to work in managerial occupations (6.6%) than the rest of the population (11.5%), a difference that is largely explained by the younger age structure of NPRs who were still early in their careers.
The proportion of workers in occupations not requiring any formal education was particularly high among NPRs with study permit only (37.0%). These occupations were often in the sales and service sectors (73.1%), such as food counter attendants, kitchen helper and related support occupations (9.1%) and cashiers (8.5%) (Table A1). While these occupations were also common among the rest of the population, they represented a much smaller share: 2.2% were food counter attendants, kitchen helper and related support occupations and 2.0% were cashiers.
Similarly, asylum claimants had a high proportion working in occupations not requiring any formal education. For instance, working as light duty cleaners (6.0%), material handlers (3.9%) and labourers in food and beverage processing (3.5%) was more common among this group.
NPRs with work permit only were more often (44.1%) in occupations requiring higher skill levels (TEER 1 and 2) than the rest of the population (39.6%). Specifically, 22.7% of NPRs with work permit only were in occupations that usually required a university degree, such as, software engineers and designers (2.3%) and software developers and programmers (1.9%).
Non-permanent residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher had a higher overqualification rate than recent immigrants
Overqualification among non-permanent residents (NPRs) was more prevalent than among recent immigrants and the rest of the population. In particular, 32.4% of NPRs with a bachelor’s degree or higher were overqualified for their current position, while the same was seen for 26.2% of recent immigrants and 15.9% for the rest of the population (Table 7). In this article, overqualification rate is defined as the share of people with a bachelor's degree or higher working in an occupation that typically requires a high school diploma or less (TEER 4 or 5)Note .
Obtaining a highest degree in Canada made little difference in overqualification for NPRs. That is, the rate of overqualification was similar between those with foreign and domestic credentials (34.0% and 28.1%). This contrasts the situation for recent immigrants, where foreign credential holders had a much higher overqualification rate than those who obtained their highest degree in Canada (28.9% versus 14.9%). More research is needed as the high percentage of foreign credentials within the NPR population does not alone explain their high overqualification rate.
Asylum claimants had the highest overqualification rate (50.7%) among all NPRs, whereas over two in five NPRs with study permit only (43.0%) and work and study permit (44.6%) were overqualified. The high overqualification rate of these NPRs may be related to a high proportion that worked part time and part of the year, limiting access to job opportunities commensurate with their skills. NPRs with work permit only had the lowest overqualification rate of 24.7% among all NPRs. They were more likely to have worked the full year and full time.
Conclusion
Like many countries, Canada grants temporary foreign workers, international students and asylum claimants, the right to live in Canada temporarily. These non-permanent residents are a small but growing share of Canada’s population, playing an increasingly important role in the growth of the labourforce and the economy.
Indeed, as large baby-boom cohorts are currently leaving the labour force for retirement, it is likely that the number of people exiting the labour force will remain higher than the number of people entering it. In this context, immigrants and non-permanent residents may be one solution to labour shortages, and that the population of non-permanent residents will continue to increase, at least in the next few years.
Understanding this growing population may be more important than ever. This article showcases, for the first time, different types of non-permanent residents in Canada, highlighting key findings on asylum claimants and non-permanent residents with work and/or study permits. While many non-permanent residents share overarching characteristics (e.g., most often living in the three most populous provinces), results show distinct differences between non-permanent resident types in terms of age composition, labour force participation, highest level of education, and rate of overqualification.
Future studies could look to further disaggregating the non-permanent resident population by age, gender, place of birth, education, location of studies and industries to unpack these findings. While the paper covered many features of non-permanent residents, their income was not included and could be examined in a more in-depth study. Lastly, but not least importantly, assessing trends in the characteristics of non-permanent residents will be particularly instructive for policies and programs, with the 2026 Census being a new opportunity to examine these possible changes.
Catherine Tuey and Nicolas Bastien are analysts with Diversity and Sociocultural Statistics at Statistics Canada. The authors would like to thank all those who contributed to the development of the article, particularly those involved in data extraction, verification and reviews.
| Rank | Asylum claimants | Non-permanent residents with work permit only | Non-permanent residents with study permit only | Non-permanent residents with work and study permit | Other non-permanent resident type | Total - Non-permanent residents | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| occupation | percentage | occupation | percentage | occupation | percentage | occupation | percentage | occupation | percentage | occupation | percentage | |
| 1 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 10.3 | Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations | 3.3 | Post-secondary teaching and research assistants | 12.3 | Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations | 7.9 | Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers | 3.2 | Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations | 4.9 |
| 2 | Light duty cleaners | 6.0 | Food service supervisors | 3.1 | Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations | 9.1 | Cashiers | 6.5 | Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations | 2.8 | Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers | 4.0 |
| 3 | Material handlers | 3.9 | Cooks | 2.9 | Cashiers | 8.5 | Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers | 5.9 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 2.5 | Cashiers | 3.8 |
| 4 | Labourers in food and beverage processing | 3.5 | Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers | 2.7 | Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers | 7.7 | Cooks | 3.2 | Cooks | 2.4 | Post-secondary teaching and research assistants | 2.9 |
| 5 | Transport truck drivers | 3.4 | Transport truck drivers | 2.6 | Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers | 3.9 | Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers | 3.1 | Religious leaders | 2.2 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 2.9 |
| 6 | Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations | 3.3 | Software engineers and designers | 2.3 | Other customer and information services representatives | 2.8 | Other customer and information services representatives | 2.8 | Transport truck drivers | 2.1 | Cooks | 2.7 |
| 7 | Delivery service drivers and door-to-door distributors | 3.2 | Other customer and information services representatives | 2.2 | Cooks | 2.7 | Post-secondary teaching and research assistants | 2.7 | Software engineers and designers | 2.1 | Other customer and information services representatives | 2.4 |
| 8 | Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers | 2.8 | Cashiers | 2.0 | Delivery service drivers and door-to-door distributors | 2.7 | Security guards and related security service occupations | 2.4 | Food service supervisors | 2.1 | Transport truck drivers | 2.4 |
| 9 | Security guards and related security service occupations | 2.7 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 2.0 | Material handlers | 2.6 | Material handlers | 2.4 | Software developers and programmers | 1.9 | Food service supervisors | 2.2 |
| 10 | Other customer and information services representatives | 2.7 | Software developers and programmers | 1.9 | Security guards and related security service occupations | 2.4 | Delivery service drivers and door-to-door distributors | 2.3 | Retail and wholesale trade managers | 1.8 | Material handlers | 2.0 |
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Data sources, methods and definitions
The data in this analysis were from the 2021 Census of Population.
Since 1991, the Census of Population has been reporting the number of non-permanent residents (NPRs) in Canada. Between 1991 and 2016, the census derived NPRs by using responses to immigrant status and citizenship questions. New in 2021, census data was integrated with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) administrative records to derive immigration variables. The difference in methods of reporting on NPRs does not allow for comparison on the count of NPRs between previous censuses and 2021. For more on the comparability of data, see Place of Birth, Generation Status, Citizenship and Immigration Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021.
A new immigration variable, non-permanent resident type (NPR type), was derived with the integration of the 2021 Census data and IRCC administrative information. NPR type identifies asylum claims and valid permits between January 1st and May 11, 2021 (Census Day). The categories of NPR type are mutually exclusive and are derived in the following order of classification (Figure 1).
The derivation of NPR type begins with asylum claimants, individuals who leave their country and seek refugee protection upon or after arrival in Canada.Note Asylum claimants can hold a work and/or study permit while waiting for a decision on their application by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. As such, asylum claimants can include permit holders as asylum claims override other permits.
NPRs are then assigned by the type of permits held: work permit only, study permit only and work and study permit.
Other NPR type is the last derived category. This includes respondents who completed the census questionnaire and are not Canadian citizens, permanent residents, asylum claimants or work or study permit holders but whose usual place of residence is Canada. This may include Temporary Resident Permit holders (formerly minister permit), family members of NPRs who do not already hold a work and or study permit and super visa holders.
Figure 1. Decision tree for the derivation of non-permanent resident type
Description for Figure 1
The figure consists of a decision tree to identify non-permanent residents who came to Canada: to work; to study or to claim refugee status. The decision tree is used to classify non-permanent residents using the following sequential questions:
- Has the non-permanent resident claimed refugee status? If yes, the non-permanent resident is classified as an Asylum claimant.
- If no, the next question is asked. Does the non-permanent resident hold a valid work or study permit? There are four options.
- Work permit. The non-permanent resident (NPR) is then classified as an NPR with work permit only;
- Study permit. The non-permanent resident is then classified as an NPR with study permit only;
- Both work and study permit. The non-permanent resident is then classified as an NPR with work and study permit;
- None. The non-permanent resident is classified as Other NPR type.
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021.
Definitions
Asylum claimant includes non-permanent residents who have applied for refugee protection status in Canada and are waiting for a decision on their claim from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. Refugee protection is provided to a person in accordance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. This category includes asylum claimants who hold a work and/or study permit.
Census family is defined as a married couple and the children, if any, of either and/or both spouses; a couple living common law and the children, if any, of either and/or both partners; or a parent of any marital status in a one‑parent family with at least one child living in the same dwelling and that child or those children. All members of a particular census family live in the same dwelling. Children may be biological or adopted children regardless of their age or marital status as long as they live in the dwelling and do not have their own married spouse, common‑law partner or child living in the dwelling. Grandchildren living with their grandparent(s) but with no parents present also constitute a census family.
Census metropolitan area (CMA) is formed by one or more adjacent municipalities centred on a population centre (known as the core). A CMA must have a total population of at least 100,000, based on data from the current Census of Population Program, of which 50,000 or more must live in the core based on adjusted data from the previous Census of Population Program. To be included in the CMA, other adjacent municipalities must have a high degree of integration with the core, as measured by commuting flows derived from data on place of work from the previous Census Program. Once an area becomes a CMA, it is retained as a CMA even if its total population declines below 100,000 or the population of its core falls below 50,000.
Census subdivision (CSD) is the general term for municipalities (as determined by provincial/territorial legislation) or areas treated as municipal equivalents for statistical purposes (e.g., Indian reserves, Indian settlements and unorganized territories). Municipal status is defined by laws in effect in each province and territory in Canada.
Established immigrant refers to a person who has been admitted to the country permanently at least the five years prior to the census. In the 2021 Census, this period is December 31st 2015 and before.
Gender refers to an individual's personal and social identity as a man, woman or non‑binary person (a person who is not exclusively a man or a woman). Gender includes the following concepts:
- gender identity, which refers to the gender that a person feels internally and individually;
- gender expression, which refers to the way a person presents their gender, regardless of their gender identity, through body language, aesthetic choices or accessories (e.g., clothes, hairstyle and makeup), which may have traditionally been associated with a specific gender.
A person's gender may differ from their sex at birth, and from what is indicated on their current identification or legal documents such as their birth certificate, passport or driver's licence. A person's gender may change over time. Some people may not identify with a specific gender.
Given that the non-binary population is small, data aggregation to a two-category gender variable is sometimes necessary to protect the confidentiality of responses. In these cases, individuals in the category “non-binary persons” are distributed into the other two gender categories. Unless otherwise indicated in the text, the category “men” includes men (and/or boys), as well as some non-binary persons, while the category “women” includes women (and/or girls), as well as some non-binary persons. A fact sheet on gender concepts, Filling the gaps: Information on gender in the 2021 Census, is also available.
Housing suitability refers to whether a private household is living in suitable accommodations according to the National Occupancy Standard (NOS); that is, whether the dwelling has enough bedrooms for the size and composition of the household. A household is deemed to be living in suitable accommodations if its dwelling has enough bedrooms, as calculated using the NOS.
Immigrant refers to a person who is, or who has ever been, a landed immigrant or permanent resident. Such a person has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities. Immigrants who have obtained Canadian citizenship by naturalization are included in this group.
Non-immigrant includes persons who are Canadian citizens by birth.
Non-permanent resident (NPR) refers to a person from another country with a usual place of residence in Canada and who has a work or study permit or who has claimed refugee status (asylum claimant). Family members living with work or study permit holders are also included, unless these family members are already Canadian citizens or landed immigrants or permanent residents.
Non-permanent resident type (NPR type) refers to the category under which a non-permanent resident has been authorized to enter Canada for temporary residence purposes.
Non-permanent resident with study permit only includes non-permanent residents who hold a study permit only. A study permit is a document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada that authorizes a person to study at a designated learning institution in Canada.
Non-permanent resident with work and study permit includes non-permanent residents who hold a work and study permit at the same time.
Non-permanent resident with work permit only includes non-permanent residents who hold a work permit only. A work permit is a document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada that authorizes a person to work on a temporary basis in Canada.
Other non-permanent resident type includes respondents who completed the census questionnaire who are not Canadian citizens, permanent residents, asylum claimants or work or study permit holders, but their usual place of residence is in Canada. This may include Temporary Resident Permit holders (formerly minister permit), family members of non-permanent residents and super visa holders.
Permanent Resident see Immigrant.
Racialized group is derived directly from the detailed "visible minority" variable in the census. The variable "visible minority" comes from the Employment Equity Act and refers to whether a person is a visible minority or not. The Act defines visible minorities as "persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour." The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Arab, Latin American, Southeast Asian, West Asian, Korean and Japanese.
Recent immigrant refers to a person who has been admitted to the country permanently in the five years preceding a census. In the 2021 Census, this period is January 1, 2016, to May 11, 2021.
Rest of the population refers to non-immigrants and immigrants.
Rural areas refer to all geographic areas outside census metropolitan area (CMA) and census agglomeration (CA).
Undercoverage refers to the number of persons not included in the census counts.
Usual place of residence in Canada refers to the main dwelling in which the person lives most of the time. It is used to identify the person as a member of a particular household and, potentially, family (depending on the composition of the household).
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