Maple News reports that a recent study by Statistics Canada has revealed a significant decline in the number of recent immigrants becoming Canadian citizens. Between 1996 and 2021, the citizenship uptake rate among permanent residents dropped nearly 30%, with the sharpest decrease occurring between 2016 and 2021.
The study examined immigrants who have been in Canada for 5, 10, or 15 years and found that while 75.4% became citizens in 1996, this figure had fallen to just 45.7% by 2021. Experts suggest that this downward trend reflects broader shifts in economic, linguistic, and global factors affecting integration and immigration decisions.
Income and education were found to be significantly linked to citizenship uptake. Immigrants earning between CAD $50,000 and $100,000 were 14% more likely to obtain citizenship than those earning below $10,000. Similarly, 51.8% of university-educated immigrants became citizens, compared to only 30.4% among those with only high school education.
Language proficiency also played a major role. Immigrants whose mother tongue is English or French had a 49.8% citizenship uptake rate, while those without these official languages as their first language saw significantly lower rates at just 19.7%.
Citizenship uptake also varied by region of origin. The largest declines were seen among immigrants from East Asia (-58%) and Southeast Asia (-40.7%). Reductions were also found among immigrants from West Asia (-29.3%), Eastern Europe (-28.9%), and Central America (-28.2%).
Notably, many of the factors affecting citizenship decisions—such as education level, income, and language skills—mirror those emphasized in Canada’s Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). This suggests that better pre-arrival qualifications may correlate with smoother integration and more willingness or ability to pursue citizenship.
The COVID-19 pandemic also had a substantial impact. Statistics Canada attributes up to 40% of the decline from 2016 to 2021 to pandemic-related disruptions, including delays in processing and public health restrictions that may have created obstacles in obtaining necessary residency days or meeting other requirements.
While Canada generally encourages immigrants to become citizens, the data highlights growing disparities in access and willingness, depending on an individual’s background and experience. The findings point to a need for targeted policy responses to ensure long-term integration and civic participation among Canada’s newcomers.
Maple News will continue to monitor shifting trends in Canadian immigration and citizenship pathways, providing insights for policymakers, newcomers, and stakeholders across the country.