Atlantic Canada shows higher immigrant retention rates per the latest study by Statistics Canada. The report claims that immigrant retention rates were increasing in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and Labrador. Conversely, the prairie provinces had reduced retention rates in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
This recent data became available through the 2022 Longitudinal Immigration Database. This database evaluates the immigrant retention rate of the provinces or territories. Also, this evaluation takes place through the rate of immigrant tax filers who filed taxes in the provinces or territories where these immigrants desired to reside per the PR application.
The tax filing data between 2012 and 2016 summarized the retention rates of the last five years. In addition, analysis of the one-year retention rates occurred through the data between 2016 and 2020.
Atlantic Canada shows higher immigrant retention rates, while Ontario’s retention rate remains the highest
Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia displayed the highest retention rates after a period of five years for new immigrants who arrived in Canada in 2016, at 84 percent overall. In addition, Ontario alone possessed a retention rate of 93.1 percent. According to the study, Manitoba and Saskatchewan demonstrated a declined rate of retention from 72.2 percent to 57.9 percent. The difference is 14 percent. On the other hand, Manitoba’s retention rate decreased from 75.1 to 64.1 percent by 11 percent.
A similar pattern came to the forefront in the one-year provincial retention rates. The one-year rate of retention in Manitoba declined from 78.4 percent for new immigrants who arrived in 2016 to 74.9 percent for those who arrived in 2020.
Saskatchewan witnessed a drastic decline from 75.7 percent in 2016 to 64.6 percent in 2020. This turned out to be an 11.1 percent decline. Furthermore, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island indicated a rise in immigrant retention for those who arrived in 2016.
New Brunswick peaked its retention rate over a five-year period at 56 percent. Moreover, PEI continued to display the lowest retention rate of 30.9 percent. However, this still displays a 6 percent higher retention rate for those who arrived in 2012. In addition, these two provinces demonstrated no visible patterns for the one-year retention rates. In Newfoundland and Labrador, the retention rate increased from 55 percent for those who arrived in 2016 to 66.4 percent for those who landed in 2020.
Atlantic Canada indicates a higher retention rate of skilled workers
The introduction of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program occurred in 2019, which caused a higher retention rate for skilled workers in the Atlantic provinces. The introduction of AIP led to Nova Scotia’s considerable rise of 42.4 percent. This is evident from 21.5 percent in 2016 to 63.9 percent in 2020.
Furthermore, New Brunswick observed a retention rate of 65.8 percent in 2020 for skilled workers. Meanwhile, Newfoundland and Labrador displayed a rise of 18.7 percent between 2016 and 2020. The increase occurred from 31.3 percent to 50 percent.
The Atlantic Immigration Program has the objective of executing the recruitment of foreign nationals in the Atlantic provinces of Canada. It is a regional economic immigration program in which new immigrants tend to get the advantage of an employment offer from a designated employer. In addition, they also get access to a customized family settlement plan. Moreover, it enables newcomers to become financially self-reliant and form new relationships within their communities.
Also, these community ties play a chief role in helping new immigrants settle in the country for a longer period. Reportedly, increased retention rates were visible among Canadian permanent residents who arrived here through family-class sponsorship programs.
The recent data claims that 91.7 percent of new immigrants who arrived in Canada through family sponsorship resided within the same province they had initially resided in. This is true for new immigrants who arrived in the country in 2016.
The significance of retaining economic immigrants in a province
The Statistics Canada study also reports that retaining these economic immigrants has emerged as a relief for the regional labor shortages. A majority of new immigrants embrace larger cities, such as Alberta, Ontario, and British Columbia. This is majorly due to the availability of already established immigrant communities. Further, this indicates a challenge in providing a stronger labor force for rural areas in other provinces. This is why most provinces and territories have their distinct Provincial Nominee Programs to retain new immigrants. However, Quebec and Nunavut remain exceptions to this case. PNPs enable the provinces to admit appropriate newcomers who can significantly contribute to Canada’s workforce requirements.
The provincial governments tend to issue nominations to Candidates for PR status in Canada. The study also found that skilled newcomers who came through the PNP also displayed a reduced five-year retention rate from 79.6 percent in 2012 to 71.5 percent in 2016.
However, economic immigrants who entered Canada through Express Entry’s Canadian Experience Class had higher retention rates. Additionally, those who arrived here through the Caregiver Pilot Program also witnessed increased retention rates.
For instance, caregivers who entered the country in 2016 filed taxes in their desired territory or province. They had a retention rate of 94.9 percent, while CEC candidates displayed a retention rate of 88.1 percent.
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