Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021
Immigrant status

Release date: November 17, 2021Updated on: October 26, 2022
Table of contents More information

Definition

Immigrant status refers to whether the person is a non‑immigrant, an immigrant or a non‑permanent resident.

Statistical unit(s)

Classification(s)

Reported in

2021 and 2016 (25% sample); 2011Footnote 1 (30% sample); 2006, 2001, 1996 and 1991 (20% sample).

Reported for

Population in private households

Question number(s)

Derived variable: Question 21a) and immigrant status obtained from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's (IRCC) administrative records.

Responses

The standard classification for immigrant status is "non‑immigrant," "immigrant" and "non‑permanent resident."

Remarks

The immigrant status variable is derived from the responses to the citizenship question (question 21a) and immigrant status obtained from IRCC's administrative records. Before 2021, immigrant status was asked on the census questionnaire.

Within the immigrant status variable, the three categories are defined as follows:

"Non‑immigrant" includes persons who are Canadian citizens by birth.

"Immigrant" includes persons who are, or who have ever been, landed immigrants or permanent residents. Such persons have been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities. Immigrants who have obtained Canadian citizenship by naturalization are included in this category.

In the 2021 Census of Population, "immigrant" includes immigrants who were admitted to Canada on or prior to May 11, 2021.

"Non‑permanent resident" includes persons from another country with a usual place of residence in Canada and who have a work or study permit or who have claimed refugee status (asylum claimants).

Family members living with work or study permit holders are also included, unless these family members are already Canadian citizens, landed immigrants or permanent residents.

To better understand the relationship between the concepts of immigration, place of birth and generation status, please refer to Figure 2.5.

To better understand the relationship between the concepts of immigration and citizenship, please refer to Figure 2.6.

For more information on the citizenship question in the 2021 Census of Population, refer to the definition of citizenship.

For more information on immigration variables, including information on their classifications, the questions from which they are derived, data quality and their comparability with other sources of data, please refer to the Place of Birth, Generation Status, Citizenship and Immigration Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021.

Note(s)

Related 2021 data products

More information

Note of appreciation

Canada owes the success of its statistical system to a long-standing partnership between Statistics Canada, the citizens of Canada, its businesses, governments and other institutions. Accurate and timely statistical information could not be produced without their continued co-operation and goodwill.

Standards of service to the public

Statistics Canada is committed to serving its clients in a prompt, reliable and courteous manner. To this end, the Agency has developed standards of service which its employees observe in serving its clients.

Copyright

Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2022

All rights reserved. Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

Catalogue no. 98-301-X

Frequency: Occasional

Ottawa

Table of contents

Date modified: