Canada’s elderly population and low birth rate make immigration crucial to the country’s future. The nation depends on immigration to fill labor market gaps and spur workforce expansion. Given Canada’s demographic issues, immigration is an essential approach for maintaining labor dynamism, economic vigor, and Canada’s sustained development. Here, we will understand How immigration enhances key Canadian sectors.
Statistics Canada emphasizes how important immigrants are to every area of the Canadian economy. Individuals who were immigrants and aged 25 to 54 made up a sizeable portion of the population in May 2021.
The contributions made by this age group include a wide range of industries, demonstrating the significant influence and important participation of immigrants in the Canadian workforce at this time.
- More than 36% of individuals employed in accommodation and food services are immigrants.
- Nearly 38% of the workforce in the transportation and warehousing sector consists of immigrants.
- Over 34% of professionals in the professional, scientific, and technical services sector are immigrants.
- Immigrants contribute to over 20% of the workforce in the construction sector.
Additionally, immigrants have impacted a wide range of industries, including business, science and technology, healthcare, the arts and culture, and the food service sector. This article will provide a summary of the effects of immigration on each industry, based on statistics from Statistics Canada.
Healthcare field
Approximately 500,000 of the 1.6 million workers in Canada’s healthcare industry are 55 years of age or older, and many of them will retire over the next ten years. The country is having trouble filling positions, especially for nurses, home health care providers, and workers who provide residential care. Given the circumstances, immigrants have a unique chance to be instrumental in resolving the labor crisis in the industry.
One in every four workers in the healthcare sector in Canada is an immigrant. Their contribution is substantial, making up a noteworthy segment of the workforce in this critical field.
- Immigrants constitute 23% of registered nurses.
- Nurse aides and related occupations are comprised of 35% immigrants.
- Pharmacists see the participation of immigrants at 37%.
- Immigrants make up 36% of physicians.
- Dentists include 39% immigrants.
- In dental technologists and related occupations, immigrants account for 54%.
Business Field
With approximately 12 million workers, the business sector is one of the largest employers in Canada. More than 2.7 million Canadians work for themselves, and more than 800,000 of them oversee paid staff members. Entrepreneurs play a crucial role in the business environment and make a substantial economic contribution to Canada. Leaders in business and entrepreneurs who are immigrants are especially important to the development and prosperity of the country.
Interestingly, 33 percent of business owners who employ people are immigrants, and they help create jobs in a variety of industries, including retail, healthcare, professional services, and construction. Over 600,000 immigrants work for themselves in Canada, and over 260,000 of them have paid staff, which increases their influence on the nation’s corporate environment.
Moreover, senior management roles across the country are occupied by over 47,000 immigrants, encompassing:
- In the finance, communications, and business services sectors, immigrants contribute to a workforce of over 15,000.
- The trade, broadcasting, and other services sectors employ around 12,000 immigrants.
- In the realms of construction, transportation, production, and utilities, over 12,000 immigrants are actively engaged.
The proportion of immigrants among business owners (self-employed individuals with paid staff), categorized by sector:
- 30% of software publishing business owners are immigrants.
- In dentist offices, 36 % of proprietors are immigrants.
- In the domains of hosting, data processing, and services, forty percent of entrepreneurs are immigrants.
- 50% of business owners in restaurants are immigrants, indicating a notable presence of this demographic.
- 51% of businesses that create and provide services for computer systems are owned by immigrants.
- 53% of business owners in grocery stores are immigrants, indicating a significant immigrant presence in the industry.
- Business owners in the truck transportation industry are 56% immigrants.
Arts and culture field
With over 80,000 immigrants holding professional and technical positions across the country, Canada’s arts and cultural sector is booming thanks in large part to immigration.
For example, immigrants make up 25% of Canada’s artisans and craftspeople. In addition, more over a quarter (26%) of designers working in theater, fashion, display, and other creative fields are immigrants, as are 29% of independent writers, artists, and performers.
More than 3,000 companies in the arts and cultural industry are owned by immigrants nationwide; these companies are made up of both self-employed individuals and salaried staff. Their influence may be seen in this vibrant industry’s energy and diversity.
Science and technology field
Canada attracts talent from throughout the world to help its science and technology sector flourish, as more technology workers are currently needed. An increasing number of immigrants are taking advantage of this chance to make their mark in the field; in Canada, 34% of those employed in scientific research and development services are not Canadian citizens.
Additionally, about 500,000 immigrants work in Canada and are skilled in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) industries. While making up 24% of the labor force nationwide, this group is disproportionately represented in specialist occupations, accounting for 39% of computer programmers, 41% of engineers, and more than 50% of all chemists.
Of the students enrolled in the nation’s post-secondary education system, 12% are foreign students. Of these, 27% are in programs connected to mathematics, computers, and information sciences, and 9% are in programs relating to architecture, engineering, and related fields. Numerous international students specializing in STEM subjects opt to establish their professional careers in Canada, so making a substantial contribution to the nation’s innovative potential.
Food industry
With 1.16 million workers nationwide, the culinary sector is one of the largest employers in the nation. However, as of September 2019, the food services industry was facing more job openings than any other key sector in the Canadian economy, with over 67,000 available positions.
Over 25% of workers in the food and beverage industry are immigrants. Interestingly, the food and beverage sector became the main employer of recent immigrants between 2011 and 2016, employing 11% of all working immigrants who arrived in Canada during that time.
Over half (53%) of all business owners in the food and beverage industry in the country are immigrants.
In addition, the industry providing culinary services is expanding thanks to the influx of new immigrants. More than 3,200 recent immigrants nationwide operated companies in the food and beverage sector in 2016.
Over half (53%) of all business owners in the food and beverage industry in the country are immigrants.
In addition, the industry providing culinary services is expanding thanks to the influx of new immigrants. More than 3,200 recent immigrants nationwide operated companies in the food and beverage sector in 2016.
