A recent study by Statistics Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals a significant decline in citizenship rates among recent immigrants to Canada. The research, authored by Feng Hou, Garnett Picot, and Li Xu, shows that citizenship rates among immigrants admitted to Canada five to nine years earlier decreased from 75.4% in 1996 to 45.7% in 2021. While COVID-19 may partially explain the recent decreases, researchers point to increased international migration fluidity, economic growth in source countries, and policy changes as potential longer-term factors. The study also highlights challenges in comparing Canadian data with U.S. citizenship trends due to differences in data collection methodologies.
Canadian citizenship rates decline: New study reveals trend in recent immigrants
