A recent report sheds light on the Canadian population residing abroad, estimated at around four million people in 2016, making up just over 11 per cent of the country’s total population, according to Statistics Canada.
The report, released Monday by the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, was commissioned by Senator Yuen Pau Woo, who is calling on Ottawa to create a strategy on how to better support Canadian expatriates.
The figure marks a significant increase of about 36 per cent since 1990, marking a growing trend of Canadians choosing to relocate.
While data on the Canadian diaspora remains limited, the report found that citizens by ancestry make up 51 per cent of Canadians living abroad, those born in Canada make up 33 per cent and naturalized Canadians make up 15 per cent. remaining cent.
The report says one of the challenges in tracking this diaspora is that motivations for residing abroad vary, including permanent emigration and reverse migration from Canada.
For naturalized Canadians (those who acquire citizenship later in life), the Institute for Canadian Citizenship said the country is experiencing a steady increase in migration after four to seven years of arrival in Canada.
Between 2017 and 2019, migration patterns were 31 per cent higher than average, affecting Canada’s immigration goals.
Additionally, a recent Statistics Canada study found that more than 15 per cent of immigrants decide to leave Canada within 20 years of being admitted as permanent residents, either to return to their homeland or immigrate to another country.
The McGill report said the forward migration trend is likely related to “rising costs of living in Canada” and “unrealistic pathways to the recognition of foreign degrees.”
The Canadian flag on the Peace Tower is illuminated by morning light on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, May 9, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Data from the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APFC) suggests that the largest Canadian population outside of Canada is in the United States, followed by Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and Australia.
According to APFC data, Canadians have strong ties to East Asia, with South Korea, China and Japan among the top 10 countries in which Canadians reside.
But while the number of Canadians abroad may be growing, the McGill report notes that Canada’s relationship with its diaspora is defined by a lack of support and care.
Areas such as health care coverage, taxes and voting are indicative of that relationship, the report says.
For example, while provinces have their own set of guidelines that allow residents to retain their provincial health coverage during extended absences, their coverage may be canceled if they permanently relocate.
The report calls for greater transparency to help the diaspora access relevant information before and during their stay abroad.
In tax matters, two groups of Canadians are still required to file annual tax returns and pay taxes on their Canadian income: those temporarily resident outside of Canada and those who commonly reside in other countries and pay taxes only on income received in Canada.
When it comes to voting, the most lenient rules apply to residents of Ontario and Quebec, where provincial governments accept voting from abroad up to two years after the date of departure. The McGill report suggests provinces should re-examine the effectiveness of the current mail-in voting method and consider adopting electronic voting from abroad.
The report calls for policy recommendations on taxation, healthcare coverage and consular services to ensure active support for the diaspora and an official government strategy towards Canadian expatriates.
“Committed and active support for the diaspora creates a stronger Canadian international network; a community that not only votes and pays taxes, but has the ability to promote Canada abroad,” the McGill report says.
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Countries with the largest Canadian population outside Canada
1. United States
2.Hong Kong
3. United Kingdom
4.Australia
South Korea, China and Japan also make the top 10
With files from The Canadian Press