In Canada, millennials currently outnumber baby boomers due to recent immigration trends.According to a recent Statistics Canada study, Canada has more millennials than baby boomers for the first time ever.
With a 23% demographic weight, millennials are now at their greatest point. Significantly, the number of millennials in Canada increased by 457,354 between July 2022 and July 2023, “exclusively due to the arrival of permanent and temporary immigrants.”
When the average age of Canadians was measured, it was found that the average age decreased from 41.7 to 41.6 between July 1, 2022, and July 1, 2023. Despite its seeming insignificance, this decline is the first of its kind since 1958—the height of the baby boom.
The research attributes the shift in demography to immigration. For instance, a different Statistics Canada report from December 2023 revealed that 430,635 more people called Canada home between July and December 2023. The reason for almost 96% of this rise was immigration.
Furthermore, according to data from 2022, immigrants made up 23% of Canada’s entire population. Of those who arrived between 2016 and 2021, 95.8% were under 65, and 64.2% were in their prime working years (25 to 64).
Younger Immigrant Wave
For many years, Canada has seen an increase in immigration. In 2023, Canada received a record-breaking 471,550 new permanent residents, exceeding the 437,000 mark set in 2022. The number of non-permanent residents (NPRs), such as foreign students and temporary employees, is not taken into consideration by this.
According to the research, the majority of NPRs immigrate to Canada between the ages of 20 and 24, which means that 22% of the country’s population is in this age bracket overall. As of July 2023, one in five persons in this age group identified as NPRs.
Although it doesn’t say what kind of visa or permission it is, this is the age range that is most commonly linked to overseas students. In 2023, there were 1,040,985 foreign students in Canada with active study permits, up 29% from the year before, according to ICEF Monitor.
According to a recent Statistics Canada study, the number of those aged 30-34 has grown by 6.4% in Canada, which is twice as fast as the country’s total population growth rate of 2.9%.
The aging population in Canada
The oldest population in Canada was discovered to reside in the Atlantic provinces. Specifically, the “highest average age (45.7 years) and the highest proportion of people aged 65 and older (24.4%)” were discovered in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The average age of the population of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia was determined to be 44.4 and 43.8 years old, respectively.
With an average age of 39.1, Alberta’s population was relatively youthful compared to those of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, which were not far behind at 39.3 and 39.7.
Canada’s Immigration Levels
Every year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) publishes the Immigration Levels Plan, which establishes hypothetical goals for the next two years as well as the amount of new permanent residents the nation would accept for the upcoming year.
Canada intends to accept 485,000 new permanent residents this year; in 2025, that number will increase to 500,000, and in 2026, it will remain unchanged.
According to recent surveys, there is considerable worry among Canadians over the country’s high immigration rates. However, according to a Statistics Canada research, as of July 1, 2023, 18.9% of Canadians were 65 years of age or older. This percentage is predicted to rise, reaching retirement age by 2030 with over nine million Canadians over 65. There just aren’t enough Canadians to maintain the country’s economy in light of this and the country having one of the lowest birth rates in the world.
There will be fewer workers to pay income taxes at a period of increased social spending on healthcare and other senior support services as more Canadians retire. For a number of years, Canada has increased immigration in an attempt to fill the voids caused by retirements.
Thus, Canada tries to draw in young, talented people from throughout the world. To encourage overseas students to remain in the nation after they finish their studies and work toward becoming permanent citizens, the IRCC, for instance, grants Post-Graduation Work Permits.
Furthermore, in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), skilled workers between the ages of 20 and 29 who enter Canada through the Express Entry controlled program are awarded the maximum amount of points for their age (100 if they are single or 110 if they are married).
