Archive - Smaller Canadian Cities Offer Faster Economic Integration for Newcomers

Nearly three quarters of Canadian immigrants settle in Canada’s three largest metropolitan areas, Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. However, a recent Statistics Canada report suggests that those who go against the grain and start their new lives in smaller Canadian centres will likely experience an even more successful integration into Canadian society. In response to this report, Citizenship and Immigration Canada has created a program for these smaller communities to help them with the attraction and retention of Canadian newcomers.

Immigration is a crucial requirement for population growth in Canada. Given slowing population growth rates in many regions across the country, Canadian cities big and small have been working to position themselves as attractive immigration destinations. A recent Statistics Canada survey has provided some ammunition for smaller Canadian cities, reporting that the economic integration of immigrants is faster in these smaller communities than it is in larger urban areas. Not only is the initial earnings gap between newcomers and Canadian-born smaller, it also narrows much more quickly. Essentially, an immigrant in a smaller Canadian city will reach income parity with a Canadian faster than a newcomer would in Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver. With time, many immigrants’ earnings surpass those of Canadian-born residents in small centres.

Foreign credential recognition and language barriers, the two major stumbling blocks for newcomers in the Canadian workforce, are easier to overcome in smaller towns. Smaller cities have less language diversity, making it easier for immigrants to become familiar with either English or French. Three quarters of immigrants in smaller cities are fluent in one of Canada's official languages, compared to 61.5 per cent of those in large cities. Additionally, immigrants with university degrees are well represented in smaller areas and regional labour shortages have created abundant employment opportunities for them.

"It’s just easier for immigrants to connect with employers in smaller communities, where the chambers of commerce, councils, employers and service agencies all know each other and work as a team to develop immigrant attraction and retention plans," explained a professor from the University of Winnipeg.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is well aware of the importance of spreading immigration to all regions across the country. Closely following Statistics Canada’s report on immigrant economic integration in smaller cities, CIC came out with a new program to help smaller areas develop their immigration and settlement services. Along with provincial, municipal, and community partners, CIC created Attracting and Retaining Immigrants: A Tool Box of Ideas for Smaller Centres. It is a comprehensive guide for smaller communities that includes information about immigration and employment realities and outlines recommendations on strategies for building support, reducing barriers and creating welcoming communities.