Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021
Immigrant status
Immigrant status
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
- Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population (98-316-X2021001)
- Census Program Data Viewer (CPDV) (98-507-X2021001)
- Employment income statistics by visible minority, highest level of education, immigrant status and income year: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0439-01)
- First official language spoken by languages used at work, immigrant status and place of birth: Canada, provinces and territories and census metropolitan areas with parts (98-10-0521-01)
- Highest level of education by major field of study, visible minority and immigrant status: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0430-01)
- Highest level of education by visible minority and immigrant status: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions with a population 5,000 or more (98-10-0432-01)
- Labour force status by visible minority, highest level of education, major field of study (STEM and BHASE, summary) and immigrant status: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0435-01)
- Languages used at work by employment income statistics, immigrant status and highest certificate, diploma or degree: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0530-01)
- Languages used at work by mother tongue, immigrant status and occupation: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0525-01)
- School attendance by visible minority and immigrant status: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0433-01)
- Date modified: