New Immigration Laws Change the Flow of Residents in Canada

The top ten source countries of permanent residents where selected from the immigration overview of facts and figures from 2003 to 2012. The number of immigrants from China, which is the top overall source country, has gone down by nearly 10% in the past decade. However, the Philippines, is the second source country with highest immigration flow and has increased 173%. Overall, the number of immigrants from the top 10 source countries are increasing and decreasing, this is due in great part to immigration law changes that have redirected immigration flow from these countries.  

According to the government of Canada, a permanent resident is someone who has been given permanent resident status by immigration of Canada, but is not a Canadian citizen. Permanent residents are citizens of other countries.

Bruce Nip, radio operator at Fair Child Radio, was born and raised in Canada however his family came from China almost 23 years ago. Nip has been back to Hong Kong once in a while to visit family and friends. He believes that the reason why a lot of Chinese people have stopped coming to Canada is because of immigration law changes, also "the government has slowly stopped overseas immigration and made it harder", according to Nip. 

Furthermore, he suggests that affordability in Vancouver and over all in canada has made it harder for families to immigrate here, "although for some Chinese families money wouldn't be a problem, their main concern is obtaining legal status in Canada", he says. According to the article 'Rich Chinese angry over cancelled immigration program' by Nathan Vanderklippe of the Globe and Mail, a group of Chinese millionaires are threatening legal action against the Canadian government after Ottawa cancelled the immigration investors program. This program offered a way to buy entrance into Canada for people with a net worth of $1.6 million who were able to lend Ottawa $800,000 interest free for five years. This could also explain the significant decrease in immigrants from China.

On the other hand, the Philippines is the second source country with the highest immigrants coming to Canada. "The Philippines is a mayor exporter of labour" according to Vicente Asuncion, a B.C. Barrister, solicitor Philippines attorney and counsellor at law. Mr. Asuncion is well known in the Vancouver Filipino Community and in the Philippines as a lawyer, he also maintains an office in Manila. "The Philippines is over populated with close to 150 million people and there are little jobs available," a lot of the population is educated but cannot have jobs." Canada is  on the other hand under populated and loosing habitants because people don't want to have kids, they rather have cats and dogs" he says.

Moreover, according to Mr. Asuncion,  the Canadian government has also placed the skilled workers program for equipment operators, construction workers, electricians, etc. Also few Canadians want to work as nannies which are then jobs taken by Filipinos."The philippines now is a major source of immigrants in Canada", says Mr. Asuncion.  "As far as skilled workers are concerned  the philippines is the main source of skilled workers in Canada" and this is why, he claims, the Philippines is the second source country with highest immigration increase.

Iris Solorzano, Immigration Consultant Director

Iris Solorzano is an immigration consultant director at Options Community Services in Surrey, which is a non-profit society and registered charity dedicated to helping immigrants achieve legal status in Canada. They support families and promote community health. 
Solorzano has guided families in the right direction in order to achieve permanent resident status in Canada. People receiving residency in Canada "mostly come from countries where people have applied with skill workers applications rather then refugee claims", says Solorzano.  This makes sense with these data sets, which show an increase of immigrants from countries like the Philippines and China, Canada is welcoming immigrants as skilled workers rather than as refugees.


According to Solorzano "due to immigration law changes, more and more refugees have been denied permanent resident status in Canada". She also suggests that "controversial immigration laws such as Bill C-31, have caused a great impact in the people who are accepted as permanent residents in Canada."

These datawrapper charts show a significant percentage increase in people accepted as permanent residents from the Philippines, which according to experts is due to the skilled workers program. In the other hand China with the most immigrants coming to Canada has shown a decrease in Canadian residents in part due to the immigration investors program and immigration law changes. In conclusion, these datawrapper charts demonstrate that source countries have been increased and decreased residents in Canada in great part due to immigration law changes.

Interviewees:

Bruce Nip
Operator Fair Child Radio (Chinese Radio Station)
Richmond, Canada
604.781.1515

Vicente Asuncion
B.C. Barrister, solicitor Philippines attorney and counsellor at law
Vancouver, Canada & Manila, Phillipines.
604.872.2674

Iris Solorzano
Immigration Consultant Director, Options Community Center
Surrey, Canada
604.579.4060