Number of Permanent Residents Becoming Citizens in Canada has Plummeted Since 2001

New data shows a 40 percent decline in the number of permanent residents who became Canadians in 2021. The CEO of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) said this should be a “wake-up call” for Canada and it should work towards improving the experience for newcomers in Canada.

StatCan shared data on the decline in the number of permanent residents becoming Canadian Citizens over the past 20 years. It said that since 2001, there has been a 40 percent decline in the number of permanent residents who became citizens. In 2001, 75.1 percent of permanent residents became Canadian citizens. In 2016, the number came down to 60 percent but was about 45.7 percent in 2021.

The reason for the drop was not revealed by StatCan, but the CEO of ICC, Daniel Bernhard, said this should be a “wake-up call” for Canada in improving the experience for newcomers to Canada. He added that the cost of living in Canada and the job opportunities could be factors that are bringing the percentage down.

“But ultimately, what’s changing is that people have decided that they’re less interested in being `Team Canada,’” Bernhard said. He believes that this decline will affect Canada in the long run both economically and socially.

The federal government wants to boost immigration by welcoming 1.45 million permanent residents over the next three years with the goal of welcoming 500,000 in 2025.

Vineet Washington