How many mexicans live in canada

The Canadian agricultural sector, for example, employs about 24, temporary Mexican laborers each year through a formal worker program. Unlike the United States, Canada does not have a large unauthorized population from Mexico or any other country in the workforce. While the bilateral agricultural worker agreement dates to , the migration relationship between Canada and Mexico was further strengthened by the North America Free Trade Agreement NAFTA , which provided greater employment mobility for Mexican and Canadian professionals.

Until mid, Mexicans were able to travel to Canada without a visa. Although the visa requirement was removed in December by the Liberal government, the policy put a strain on the Canada-Mexico migration relationship. This article analyzes the effects of the visa requirement on permanent and temporary flows.

Canada prioritizes highly skilled, educated individuals for permanent residency, granting this status to a selective group of Mexicans. More than half of all working-age Mexican permanent residents in Canada have a university degree, and almost 75 percent have at least some postsecondary education. However, most of the Mexicans who enter Canada on temporary status—particularly those in the agricultural sector—are unable to obtain permanent residency and the benefits of that status.

Immigrants arrive to Canada as permanent residents in one of three streams: economic, family, or humanitarian. In comparison, only 12 percent of new green-card holders in the United States in received an employment-based visa. The inverse is true for family ties: about two-thirds of new green-card holders in the United States obtain their status through family reunification, which is about triple the proportion in Canada.

In addition, Canada has a narrow definition of which family members can be sponsored; siblings and adult children do not normally qualify for sponsorship. In recent years, the number of new permanent residents in Canada has varied from , to ,—less than 2 percent of whom are Mexicans. Historically, permanent residence was a distinct visa path from temporary status in Canada, and most new permanent residents did not previously reside or work in Canada.

Canada has several visa programs for individuals to visit or reside on a temporary basis as students or workers. Recently, the number of temporary laborers contributing to the Canadian economy has increased. Many work in low-skilled occupations, have lower education levels, and are unable to qualify for permanent residence as economic migrants. Agricultural laborers from Mexico and 11 Caribbean countries may enter Canada under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program SAWP year after year as temporary foreign workers, leaving their family abroad.

Migrant-rights groups have called for agricultural workers and their families to receive permanent resident status, but the government has not shown any plans to change its policies for these lower-skilled migrants.

In recent years, between 10 percent and 25 percent of adults who enter Canada through a temporary foreign worker program eventually become permanent residents. However, the proportion of low-skilled or agricultural laborers who ultimately obtain permanent status is much lower.

While some programs allow low-skilled or semi-skilled workers to obtain permanent resident status in provinces with labor shortages—including Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba—eligibility requirements remain strict and the number of visas available are minimal.

After living in Canada for three years, permanent residents are eligible to apply for citizenship. As in the United States, individuals born in Canada receive citizenship at birth. Immigrants in Canada have higher naturalization rates than in the United States, and individuals with permanent resident status are conceived as long-term residents who will become citizens and are therefore offered programming to assist with their integration.

However, individuals on temporary work permits do not generally receive these benefits. The decision to impose a visa on Mexican citizens in dramatically decreased the number of Mexicans who traveled to Canada, falling to ,, in , from ,, in Travel rebounded after the visa was lifted, with , arrivals from Mexico in see Figure 1. This was the first year that the numbers exceeded the total. Figure 1. Number of Residents of Mexico Entering Canada, Visa policy in Canada often responds to influxes of refugee claims or concerns about security and passport integrity.

Mexico was the last Latin American country to receive a visa requirement. In the years preceding the visa imposition in , increasing numbers of Mexican nationals made refugee claims in Canada.

The introduction of a visa requirement allowed government officials to refuse applications of individuals who they suspected may request asylum and dissuaded potential refugee claimants from applying. At the same time, the hassle of submitting a visa application discouraged Mexicans who would have otherwise visited Canada from doing so, resulting in a significant reduction of travelers see Figure 1.

Data on the number of refugee requests from Mexicans show the decrease in new claims after the visa requirement was implemented see Figure 2.

Although these claims dropped from about 9, in to around 1, in , the post period was characterized by increasing violence and insecurity in Mexico. Still, the visa requirement did not halt all claims. Some Mexicans making claims post-visa imposition may have entered Canada before July or traveled without official documents. Once the visa requirement was lifted in , the number of claims rose again, but to levels similar to those observed near the late s and early s.

Ottawa is Canada's fourth largest city — , The fastest growing large city between and was Brampton , Ontario. Montreal is the slowest growing major city in Canada, with a growth of just 1. By comparison, Canada as a whole grew by 5. In , the fastest growing large city was Edmonton, which grew by Brampton continued its climb upward, adding The census results also show the population of each Canadian province and territory.

More than half of Canadians live in just two provinces: Ontario, where one in three Canadians live, and Quebec where almost a quarter of Canadians live. The combined population of Canada's three territories Northwest, Yukon and Nunavut is less than the population of Canada's smallest province Prince Edward Island. Canada 's most recent census was conducted in At the time the population was counted at 35,,, which represents a 4.

The average age of Canadians also increased to 41 years, up from The next census in Canada is scheduled for Prior to , the last census was completed in Canada on May 10, Figures released on February 8, , showed that the officially recorded population of Canada was 33,, Canada is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, with much of its land inhospitable.

The country's population density is under 4 people per square kilometer, which ranks th in the world. Other major groups recorded were English When reading these figures, you should bear in mind that census respondents could select multiple ethnic groups. Canada's aboriginal people are growing at twice the national rate. English and French are the official languages of Canada. In , , people of Latin American origin lived in Canada. The Latin American community in Canada is growing considerably faster than the overall population.

The group of Canadians with Latin American origin includes people from a number of countries in that part of the world. The majority of Canadians of Latin American origin report they only have one ethnic origin. A majority of the Latin American population living in Canada was born outside the country.

As well, most immigrants of Latin American origin arrived in Canada relatively recently. That year, , people of Latin American origin lived in Ontario, while 65, made Quebec their home, 32, resided in British Columbia, and 22, lived in Alberta.

That year, just over 75, people with Latin American origins lived in Toronto, 56, resided in Montreal and 23, lived in Vancouver. People who reported Latin American origin also make up relatively large shares of the overall populations in both Toronto and Montreal.

Compared with the overall Canadian population, the Latin American community in Canada is relatively very young. Table 3 Age distribution of the Latin American community and overall Canadian population, Canadians of Latin American origin are also more likely than those in the overall population to be in the prime working years between the ages of 25 and In contrast, Canadians of Latin American origin are considerably less likely than those in the overall population to be either seniors or approaching retirement age.

As in the overall population, women make up the majority of Canadians of Latin America origin. In , Women make up an even more disproportionate share of seniors of Latin American origin. Almost all Canadians of Latin American origin can carry on a conversation in at least one official language. While most Canadians of Latin American origin can speak at least one official language, the large majority have a mother tongue 3 other than English or French.

A substantial number of Canadians of Latin American origin also speak a language other than English or French at home. The majority of Canadians of Latin American origin are Catholic. At the same time, relatively few Latin Americans have no religious affiliation. As such, it is almost impossible to determine how Mexicans are doing economically in Canada, especially given the diversity of the Mexican immigrant population, which ranges from highly skilled professionals to low-skilled workers.

It is expected that the recent increase in Mexicans coming into Canada will continue for several reasons. As the ranks of Mexican immigrants swell, migrant networks will form and consolidate, providing a demonstration effect and facilitating the flow of information back to Mexico about Canada as an alternative destination to the United States. Canada is facing demographic changes, including a skills shortage and the retirement of the baby boomers Baklid, The shortage will particularly occur among low-skilled workers, which could put pressure on policymakers to expand programs such as the SAWP into areas beyond agriculture Burstein and Biles, Although the number of Mexicans desiring to migrate is expected to decrease m the longer term, as birth rates in Mexico fall and the Mexican economy improves and offers better employment opportunities to its citizens Martin, , over the near term, the potential for migration growth to Canada continues.

This underscores the main point of this article: Little is known about this increasingly important group of migrants and this gap in our collective knowledge that should be closed. Directions for future research include:. How does this group compare to Other immigrants in terms of the main indicators for labor-market performance: age at arrival, education, language ability in English or French , labor-market experience, and so forth?

Is credential recognition, as well as Other barriers to the Canadian labor market, a problem for Mexicans as it is for immigrants in general? What is their likelihood of remaining in the country following graduation? Why is the proportion of successful refugee claims so low for Mexico compared to the success rates from Other source countries?

Some of the data necessary to answer these questions do exist, but as noted above, they generally have not been exploited by researchers: CIC provides special tabulations to researchers, and every five years, Statistics Canada releases census microdata with detailed information on the foreign-born population in Canada.

Statistics Canada conducts numerous Other surveys that may be useful as well. The rapid increase in the number of Mexicans residing both permanently and temporarily in Canada is likely to increase over the next few years.

Despite the relative importance of one of Canada's newest groups of immigrants, we understand very little about these migrants and how they are assimilating into the Canadian labor market. It is hoped that this article will inspire more research regarding this large and disparate group of immigrants to Canada.

Abbott, Michael G. Beach, Alan G. Green, and Jeffrey CL Reitz eds. Akbari, Ather H. Beach, Charles M. Green, and Jeffrey G. Reitz eds. Beaudry Paul, and David A. Bloom, David E. Available at migration. DeVoretz, Don J. Available on the "Publications" page at www. Messamore ed. Grant, Mary L. Green, David A. Jachimowicz, Maia, and Deborah W.

Kazemipur, Abdolmohammad, and Shiva S. Meyers, Deborah W. Papademetriou, Demetrios G. Reitz, Jeffrey G.

Simmons ed. I would like to thank the many conference participants for a helpful discussion as well as the two anonymous referees for their useful comments. It is akin to the U. Business visitors are involved in international commercial activities and need to visit Canada to Fulfill their duties.

These individuals do not enter the Canadian labor market and they receive their compensation from outside of Canada. Intra-company transferees are Mexican or American citizens who, under certain conditions, can enter Canada with a work permit issued at the point of entry. Investors and traders are those individuals who intend to invest substantially in Canadian businesses, or who are involved in significant trade with Canada.

These individuals are required to have work permits, which are usually issued outside of Canada. Professionals are those with advanced education, who work in certain occupations, and who have pre-arranged employment in Canada.

They are compensated in Canada, and they enter with a work permit. Still, it should be noted that the issuance of NAFTA professional visas increased while all other work authorization categories declined. See also the Mennonite Central Committee website www.

The first two cases are likely the result of increased refugee flows, and the latter, the result of the economic crisis in Argentina. In other words, 2, of the 27, Mexican-born individuals in Canada 27,x 0.