Case Study Immigration policy of Canada

Mrs F Kane

Assumption Grammar School, Ballynahinch

Map of Canada

Statistics for Canada

• 33 million people• Vast country – much within the arctic circle• Rich MEDC• Rich in resources for industry• Plentiful power supplies• Rich fertile soil eg chernozem of prairies• Most people live in major cities – Toronto

and Vancouver are the largest

Immigration

• 75% of the workforce are permanent migrants

• Long history of migration, controlled by a government immigration policy.

• What are the economic, social, cultural and moral considerations behind the policy?Vancouver, British Columbia

Open door policy 1870 - 1918

• The railways needed to be built across Canada.• This would connect the industrial east with the

agricultural west.• British, US and NW Europeans were sought.• Farmers and female domestic workers to settle in the W.

Map of Canada’sRailways

Map of the westernPrairie provinces

What economic, social, cultural and moral considerations apply to the

Open Door policy?

Consider the immigration Act of 1910 in light of the above.

What was the opinion of the time about migrants from China? Or migrants from ‘warm’ countries?

1919 - 1929

• How was the criteria for suitable migrants enhanced during this period?

• Where did ‘preferred’ migrants come from?• How were they helped to migrate?• List the countries on the ‘non preferred’ list. Which jobs

were open to them?• What is the ‘non – acceptable’ category?• How were Chinese migrants discriminated against?• Summarise the Extract from the exclusion order 1923 –

in which ways was it morally questionable?

The Closed Door Policy 1930-1945

• Why was immigration restricted during this time?

• Read Immigration Act 1952. Why is it questionable morally and culturally?

1960-1986

• Canada moved from a racially motivated policy to one based on economic factors and skills.

• A points system was introduced, to replace the ‘preferred/non preferred’ system

• How does the 1970 Immigration Act reflect social and economic considerations?

• Explain how is it morally and culturally more acceptable?

Iconic images of Canada

1986-1993 Ageing population

• Pyramid shows bulge in econ active age groups – typical of in- migration

• Increasing numbers of elderly dependents.

• Fertility levels close to replacement level .

• Canada at risk of underpopulation.

• Migrants needed to improve demographic profile

1993 to 2008

• Points system still in place

• Must gain 67 points for entry

• See resource 32 for criteria. www.cic.gc.ca

• Annual target of 320,000 migrants.

3 types of migrant

• Temporary

• Asylum seekers and refugees

• Permanent migrants:

• Independent class

Entrepreneurial or self employed class

Family class / Sponsorship scheme

Canadian Experience Class

Effects of the policy

• Most migrants go to the cities, despite

attempts to develop the large rural areas

By 2010 100% of the growth of Canada’s workforce has been due to immigration.

Canada competes with Australia and New Zealand for migrants to help it maintain its level of development

Immigration has always been in response to Canada’s economic or demographic needs!

• CONSIDER HOW CANADA’S MIGRATION POLICY IS/ HAS BEEN SHAPED BY ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND MORAL CONSIDERATIONS!

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