While housing and affordability remain top concerns, a new survey of nearly 5,000 immigrants finds newcomers are far more likely to stay in Canada if they feel hopeful about their future and connected to the country, according to a report from the Institute for Canadian Citizenship on Tuesday.
New report outlines the biggest reasons immigrants stay in Canada, and it’s not just financial
ICC survey of nearly 5,000 immigrants finds newcomers are far more likely to stay in Canada if they feel hopeful about their future and connected to the country
While housing and affordability remain top concerns, a new survey of nearly 5,000 immigrants finds newcomers are far more likely to stay in Canada if they feel hopeful about their future and connected to the country, according to a report from the Institute for Canadian Citizenship on Tuesday.
As Canada risks losing more immigrants amid a rising cost of living, a new report finds the biggest factors in whether newcomers stay aren鈥檛 just financial.
While housing and affordability remain top concerns, a new survey of nearly 5,000 immigrants finds newcomers are far more likely to stay in Canada if they feel hopeful about their future and connected to the country, according to a report from the Institute for Canadian Citizenship on Tuesday.
Optimism about the future 鈥 measured by immigrants鈥 confidence in their personal and family prospects, plans for long-term life in Canada and belief that friends and family can succeed here 鈥 is the strongest driver of immigrant retention, with just a one per cent increase in optimism boosting the likelihood of staying by鈥28 per cent.
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A one per cent increase in鈥痑 sense of belonging 鈥 measured by identifying as Canadian, feeling accepted in Canada, trusting other Canadians and believing that the country provides good opportunities for one鈥檚 family 鈥 increases the likelihood to stay by 25 per cent.
The same increase in safety and stability raises the likelihood of a newcomer staying permanently by 16 per cent, and an uptick in economic optimism adds 15 per cent.
As Ottawa plans to slash the number of immigrants over the next three years, , it is crucial to retain talented immigrants who are already here, said Daniel Bernhard, CEO of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship.
New immigration targets are expected to cut Canada鈥檚 population growth by 1.4 million over the next three years, with permanent resident admissions dropping from 464,265 in 2024 to 365,000 in 2027, leading to 1.3 billion fewer hours worked, .
鈥淚mmigrants are hand-selected to address Canada’s most pressing needs and so each one that leaves is a great loss,鈥 Bernhard said. 鈥淭he needs they were brought here to fill do not leave with them.鈥
One in five immigrants who come to Canada ultimately leave the country within 25 years, with about one-third of those people moving on within the first five years, according to a November report from the ICC.
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The report found that economic immigrants and francophones are the most likely to leave 鈥 the two categories of immigrants Canada prioritizes most.
The ICC is calling on policymakers to increase immigrant retention through targeted investments in domains that help build connection and optimism, including 鈥渋nitiatives that support newcomer skills development and labour market integration鈥 and 鈥渁ctivities that connect immigrant families and friends to each other and to other Canadians, building community, inclusion and belonging.鈥
鈥淲e know immigrants are leaving Canada, but until today, policymakers had very little evidence to guide investments in retention,鈥 Bernhard said.
The survey shows that 鈥渕aking people feel at home, feel welcome, feel Canadian, feel attached to this place and to these people is more than just a nice thing we do for our newest neighbours,鈥 he added.
鈥淚t’s a key growth and success strategy for the community.鈥
Ghada Alsharif is a Toronto-based immigration and work reporter
for the Star. Reach Ghada via email: galsharif@torstar.ca.
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