Because Canada has no terrestrial border other than that with the US, the potential for significant uncontrolled migration is low and the country is able to implement a selective and relatively voluntarist immigration policy. The government prepares an annual report indicating the number of immigrants to be admitted and the demographic considerations used to arrive at the number. Immigrants are classified as familial, humanitarian, or economic, and each category has its own selection criteria designed to determine the capacity of the candidate to become successfully established in Canada. Canadian immigration authorities have very wide latitude in interpreting selection criteria and evaluating candidates. Family members can seek entry if they will be sponsored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident at least 18 years old who is judged able to do so by an immigration agent. Humanitarian immigration includes refugees, "voluntary exiles" from Eastern European countries excluding Yugoslavia, "Indochinese", and "political prisoners and oppressed persons" from Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Uruguay, and Poland. Special arrangements sometimes made in emergencies have benefitted Haitians, Italian earthquake victims, unaccompanied Indochinese minors, Iranian Bahais, and others. The category of "economic immigrants" includes independent, unsponsored individuals who wish to establish themselves in Canada to exercise a profession. Such candidates are awarded points for educational level, specific professional preparation, experience, need for workers in their profession, age, knowledge of English or French, and other factors, but the immigration agent can disregard the points if in his opinion they do not accurately reflect the candidate's chances of establishing himself successfully in Canada. Various categories of workers have slightly different admissions criteria: retired persons, businessmen and investers, and other workers. The order of priority for consideration of visa requests as well as the requirements for entry make clear the goal of reconciling the possibility of significant contribution to the Canadian economy, respect for international obligations, and protection of the Canadian labor market. The total number admitted in 1984, 88,239, was much lower than the average of over 140,000 annually between 1961-82. In 1982, entry of economic immigrants began to be discouraged because of poor economic conditions following the 3rd oil price increases. In 1985, after widespread consultation prompted by concern over flowing population growth, the government announced the admission in 1986 of 105,000-115,000 immigrants, a 30% rise over the 1985 level. 115,000-125,000 are to be admitted in 1987. Migration policy for comming years is intended to restore balance between the 3 components by a greater openness to economic immigration, especially to migrants with substantial capital and demonstrated entrepreneurial competence. In Canada, immigration policies and obtaining of citizenship are by tradition closely linked, and the majority of immigrants become Canadian citizens after 3 years.

[No Keywords available]

Americas economics population social policy demography Migrants developing country Population Dynamics Developing Countries Political Factors Developed Countries policy fertility language economic conditions population growth Settlement And Resettlement North America economic development Manpower Needs health care manpower Canada Health Manpower Western Hemisphere Article social planning Development Planning employment status migration international migration developed country population and population related phenomena Demographic Factors politics Emigration and Immigration Economic Factors Transients and Migrants Northern America Population Characteristics Human Resources public policy Macroeconomic Factors employment Labor Force Migration Policy Population Policy