Immigration Not a Viable Remedy for Aging Population!

A recent Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) backgrounder noted that to statistically match or offset the old age dependency ratio immigration levels would have to rise to 4% of the population from its current .7%. The last time numbers were anywhere near 4% was in 1913.

So could we see a rise above 1%?
What is the appropriate level, the appropriate mix CIC asks in its latest round of stakeholder consultations?

CIC wants better processing time, less fraud and greater fairness and better outcomes for newcomers. The focus for the past several years has been on economic migration resulting in reduced numbers in other categories including family class migration. Several key questions will have to be addressed to answer the difficult questions being posed:

1. Are we moving away from our core principles of building this country in large part on family and humanitarian migration?
2. If so why?
3. Has the immigration policy of the past years necessitated a redirection to economic over other categories?
4. Do we measure ourselves in terms of offering humanitarian relief and protection to the displaced based upon Canada’s legacy or by other countries’ standards?
5. Can short and long term needs be reconciled with a view to country building?

We shall revisit these questions in the coming year as new law driven by underlying policy decisions emerge.