Statistics Canada figures show that Canada has reached an important milestone in its reliance on immigration, in that it has become completely dependent on immigration for further labour market growth.
Statistical evidence shows that the number of Canadian-born young people ready to take up jobs has declined by 102,000 in the past year. This is a result of a low birth-rate in Canada which does not produce enough children to replacement the previous generation. At the same time, the older “baby-boomer” generation is retiring in droves, with the result that there were 93,300 fewer jobs held by Canadian-born people in May of 2016 versus one year earlier.
Fortunately, this decline in the Canadian-born workforce has been fully countered by new immigrants to Canada who added 261,000 jobs to the economy last year. This has allowed job growth to continue despite the losses in the domestic workforce. The immigrant workforce now accounts for 25% of Canada’s labour market.
It can be seen that Canada’s demographic tipping point has arrived, and that without further immigration there will be no growth.
