Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021
Appendix 2.9
Admission category disseminated in the 2021 Census of Population

Release date: October 26, 2022

Data on admission category were obtained from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's administrative records for immigrants admitted since 1980. For more information regarding admission category, please refer to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website. For a visual representation of the classification, please refer to Figure 2.8.

Economic immigrant^{Appendix 2.9 Note 1}
- Worker programs^{Appendix 2.9 Note 2}
  - Skilled worker^{Appendix 2.9 Note 3}
    - Federal skilled worker^{Appendix 2.9 Note 4}
    - Quebec skilled worker^{Appendix 2.9 Note 5}
  - Skilled trades worker^{Appendix 2.9 Note 6}
  - Canadian experience class^{Appendix 2.9 Note 7}
  - Caregiver^{Appendix 2.9 Note 8}
  - Atlantic Immigration Program^{Appendix 2.9 Note 9}
- Business programs^{Appendix 2.9 Note 10}
  - Entrepreneur^{Appendix 2.9 Note 11}
    - Federal entrepreneur^{Appendix 2.9 Note 12}
    - Quebec entrepreneur^{Appendix 2.9 Note 13}
  - Investor^{Appendix 2.9 Note 14}
    - Federal investor^{Appendix 2.9 Note 15}
    - Quebec investor^{Appendix 2.9 Note 16}
  - Self-employed^{Appendix 2.9 Note 17}
    - Federal self-employed^{Appendix 2.9 Note 18}
    - Quebec self-employed^{Appendix 2.9 Note 19}
- Provincial Nominee Program^{Appendix 2.9 Note 20}
Immigrant sponsored by family^{Appendix 2.9 Note 21}
- Sponsored spouse or partner^{Appendix 2.9 Note 22}
- Sponsored parent or grandparent^{Appendix 2.9 Note 23}
- Sponsored child^{Appendix 2.9 Note 24}
- Sponsored intercountry adopted child^{Appendix 2.9 Note 25}
- Public policy or humanitarian and compassionate grounds sponsored by family^{Appendix 2.9 Note 26}
- Immigrant sponsored by family, not included elsewhere^{Appendix 2.9 Note 27}
Refugee^{Appendix 2.9 Note 28}
- Protected person in Canada or dependant abroad^{Appendix 2.9 Note 29}
  - Protected person in Canada^{Appendix 2.9 Note 30}
  - Dependant abroad of a protected person in Canada^{Appendix 2.9 Note 31}
- Resettled refugee^{Appendix 2.9 Note 32}
  - Government-assisted refugee^{Appendix 2.9 Note 33}
  - Privately sponsored refugee^{Appendix 2.9 Note 34}
  - Blended visa office-referred refugee^{Appendix 2.9 Note 35}
Other immigrant^{Appendix 2.9 Note 36}
- Public policy or humanitarian and compassionate grounds^{Appendix 2.9 Note 37}
  - Humanitarian and compassionate grounds^{Appendix 2.9 Note 38}
  - Public policy^{Appendix 2.9 Note 39}
- Other immigrant, not included elsewhere^{Appendix 2.9 Note 40}

Notes

Note 1

This category includes immigrants who have been selected for their ability to contribute to Canada's economy through their ability to meet labour market needs, to own and manage or to build a business, to make a substantial investment, to create their own employment or to meet specific provincial or territorial labour market needs.

Return to note 1 referrer

Note 2

This category includes immigrants who have been selected for their ability to meet Canada's labour market needs. They were assessed on the basis of their skills and work experience, either as skilled workers, skilled trades workers or based on their Canadian work experience, including skilled work experience and work experience as caregivers.

Return to note 2 referrer

Note 3

This category includes immigrants who have been selected for their ability to meet specific labour needs as skilled workers. They were assessed on the basis of selection criteria such as their education, language abilities and work experience in management, professional or technical jobs.

Return to note 3 referrer

Note 4

This category includes immigrants who have been selected by the federal government for their ability to meet specific labour needs as skilled workers. They were assessed on the basis of selection criteria such as their education, language abilities and work experience in management, professional or technical jobs. Since 1991, they must have had the intention to reside in a province or territory other than Quebec.

Return to note 4 referrer

Note 5

This category includes immigrants who have been selected by the Quebec government for their ability to meet specific labour needs as skilled workers. They were assessed on the basis of selection criteria such as their education, language abilities and work experience in management, professional, or technical jobs. They must have had the intention to reside in the province of Quebec. This category also includes immigrants who were granted permanent resident status on the basis of their Quebec work experience. The first immigrants admitted under a program classified in this category landed in 1991.

Return to note 5 referrer

Note 6

This category includes immigrants who have been selected by the federal government for their ability to meet labour needs in specific trades. They were assessed on the basis of selection criteria such as their education, language abilities and work experience in qualifying skilled trades jobs. They must have had a valid offer of full‑time employment in a skilled trades occupation by a Canadian employer or a certificate of qualification in a skilled trades occupation issued by a provincial or territorial authority. They must have had the intention to reside in a province or territory other than Quebec. The first immigrants admitted under a program classified in this category landed in 2013.

Return to note 6 referrer

Note 7

This category includes immigrants who have been selected by the federal government and were granted permanent resident status on the basis of their Canadian work experience. They were assessed on the basis of selection criteria such as their Canadian education, language abilities and Canadian work experience in management, professional, or technical jobs. In 2013, regulatory changes merged the worker and graduate streams so that Canadian work experience became central to the program. Immigrants must have had the intention to reside in a province or territory other than Quebec. The first immigrants admitted under a program classified in this category landed in 2009.

Return to note 7 referrer

Note 8

This category includes immigrants who were granted permanent residence after providing care for children or care for seniors, people with disabilities, or people with chronic disease – in Canada and for a determinate period of time. Most immigrants classified under this category worked as caregivers in a private residence in Canada during their qualifying period of temporary work. The first immigrants admitted under this category landed in 1982. Since then, this category has included caregivers under the Foreign Domestic Movement (1981‑1992), the Live‑in Caregiver Program (1992‑2014), the Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs pilots (2014‑2019), and the Interim Pathway for Caregivers (2019). As of June 18, 2019, caregivers can apply for permanent residence through the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot if they meet eligibility requirements.

Return to note 8 referrer

Note 9

This category includes immigrants who want to work and live in one of the four Atlantic Provinces. They have been selected by the federal government and were granted permanent resident status on the basis of their Canadian experience. They were assessed on the basis of the following selection criteria: language, education, job offer, work experience (except for eligible international graduates of a recognized post‑secondary institution in Atlantic Canada) and settlement fund requirements. The Atlantic Immigration Program is a pathway to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers and international graduates from a Canadian institution. It is an employer driven program to fill labour needs in the region. The first immigrants admitted under a program classified in this category landed in 2017.

Return to note 9 referrer

Note 10

This category includes immigrants who have been selected for their skills and potential to own and manage or to build a business, to make a substantial investment, or to create their own employment.

Return to note 10 referrer

Note 11

This category includes immigrants who have been selected for their skills and potential to own and manage or to build a qualifying business in Canada.

Return to note 11 referrer

Note 12

This category includes immigrants who have been selected by the federal government for their skills and potential to own and manage a business. They must have had a minimum net worth and were admitted on the condition that they own and manage a qualifying business in Canada for a determinate period of time. This category also includes a small number of immigrants who have been selected by the federal government under the Start Up Visa Program for their skills and potential to build an innovative business in Canada that can create jobs for Canadians and compete on a global scale. They must have obtained support for their business idea from a designated Canadian business incubator, venture capital fund or angel investor group. Since 1991, they must have had the intention to reside in a province or territory other than Quebec.

Return to note 12 referrer

Note 13

This category includes immigrants who have been selected by the Quebec government for their skills and potential to own and manage a business. They must have had a minimum net worth and were admitted on the condition that they own and manage a qualifying business in Quebec for a determinate period of time. They must have had the intention to reside in the province of Quebec. The first immigrants admitted under a program classified in this category landed in 1993.

Return to note 13 referrer

Note 14

This category includes immigrants who were granted permanent resident status on the condition that they make a substantial investment in Canada. They must have had a minimum net worth and their investment was used in Canada for economic development and job creation. The first immigrants admitted under a program classified in this category landed in 1986.

Return to note 14 referrer

Note 15

This category includes immigrants who were selected by the federal government and were granted permanent resident status on the condition that they make a substantial investment in Canada. They must have had a minimum net worth and their investment was used in Canada for economic development and job creation. Since 1991, they must have had the intention to reside in a province or territory other than Quebec. Immigrants admitted under a program classified in this category landed between 1986 and 2015.

Return to note 15 referrer

Note 16

This category includes immigrants who were selected by the Quebec government and were granted permanent resident status on the condition that they make a substantial investment in Quebec. They must have had a minimum net worth and their investment was used in Quebec for economic development and job creation. They must have had the intention to reside in the province of Quebec. The first immigrants admitted under a program classified in this category landed in 1993.

Return to note 16 referrer

Note 17

This category includes immigrants who were granted permanent resident status on the condition that they can, and intend to, create their own employment in Canada and contribute significantly to the Canadian economy or to the country cultural or athletic life.

Return to note 17 referrer

Note 18

This category includes immigrants who were selected by the federal government and were granted permanent resident status on the condition that they can, and intend to, create their own employment in Canada and contribute significantly to the Canadian economy or to the country cultural or athletic life. Since 1991, they must have had the intention to reside in a province or territory other than Quebec.

Return to note 18 referrer

Note 19

This category includes immigrants who were selected by the Quebec government and were granted permanent resident status on the condition that they can, and intend to, create their own employment in Quebec and contribute significantly to the province economy. They must have had the intention to reside in the province of Quebec. The first immigrants admitted under a program classified in this category landed in 1994.

Return to note 19 referrer

Note 20

This category includes immigrants who have been nominated by a province or territory for their ability to contribute to the local economy and meet specific labour market and economic development needs. They were assessed on the basis of selection criteria such as their education, work experience and specific skills and must have had the ability to economically establish. The federal government makes the final selection decision, but each participating province and territory determines its own criteria to nominate people who meet their labour market and economic development needs such as students, business people, skilled workers or semi‑skilled workers. They must have had the intention to reside in the province or territory that nominated them. The province of Quebec and the territory of Nunavut don't have a provincial nominee program. The programs for each participating province and territory were put in place in different years. The first immigrants admitted under a program classified in this category landed in 1996, nominated by the province of Manitoba.

Return to note 20 referrer

Note 21

This category includes immigrants who were sponsored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and were granted permanent resident status on the basis of their relationship either as the spouse, partner, parent, grandparent, child or other relative of this sponsor. The terms "family class" or "family reunification" are sometime used to refer to this category.

Return to note 21 referrer

Note 22

This category includes immigrants who were sponsored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and who have been granted permanent resident status on the basis of their relationship as the spouse, fiancé, common-law or conjugal partner of this sponsor. Since 2002, fiancés are no longer eligible for sponsorship under this category.

Return to note 22 referrer

Note 23

This category includes immigrants who were sponsored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and who have been granted permanent resident status on the basis of their relationship as the mother, father, grandmother or grandfather of this sponsor and also includes their accompanying family members (e.g. child of the parent).

Return to note 23 referrer

Note 24

Return to note 24 referrer

Note 25

This category includes immigrants who were sponsored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada and who have been granted permanent resident status on the basis of an intercountry adoption by this sponsor or this sponsor's intention to adopt them in Canada. Not all intercountry adoptions are included in this category. Some intercountry adopted children are granted permanent resident status while others are granted Canadian citizenship without first becoming permanent residents. The latter group is not included in this category.

Return to note 25 referrer

Note 26

This category includes immigrants who were sponsored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada, who may not have qualified in any program, but have been granted, on an exceptional basis, permanent resident status based on humanitarian and compassionate considerations. Data for this category are only available for immigrants who have landed between 2002 and 2014.

Return to note 26 referrer

Note 27

This category includes immigrants who were sponsored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada and who have been granted permanent resident status on the basis of their family relationship with this sponsor. Family relationships eligible for sponsorship under this category include young brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces and grandchildren who are orphans, or any other relative if the sponsor has no spouse, partner, parent, grandparent, children, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew who they could sponsor or who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Return to note 27 referrer

Note 28

This category includes immigrants who were granted permanent resident status on the basis of a well‑founded fear of returning to their home country. This category includes persons who had a well‑founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in particular social group or for political opinion (Geneva Convention refugees) as well as persons who had been seriously and personally affected by civil war or armed conflict, or have suffered a massive violation of human rights. Some refugees were in Canada when they applied for refugee protection for themselves and their family members (either with them in Canada or abroad). Others were abroad and were referred for resettlement to Canada by the United Nations Refugee Agency, another designated referral organization or private sponsors.

Return to note 28 referrer

Note 29

This category includes immigrants who applied for refugee protection status while in Canada and who were granted permanent status on the basis of a well‑founded fear of returning to their country of origin as well as immigrants who were granted permanent resident status as their family members abroad. The first group includes persons who had a well‑founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in particular social group or political opinion (Geneva convention refugees). The term "refugees landed in Canada" was formerly used to refer to the protected persons in Canada. Data for this category are only available for immigrants who have landed since 1990.

Return to note 29 referrer

Note 30

This category includes immigrants who applied for refugee protection status while in Canada and who were granted permanent resident status on the basis of a well-founded fear of returning to their country of origin. This category includes persons who had a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in particular social group or political opinion (Geneva convention refugees). The term "refugees landed in Canada" was formerly used to refer to the protected persons in Canada. Data for this category are only available for immigrants who have landed since 1990.

Return to note 30 referrer

Note 31

This category includes immigrants who have been granted permanent resident status as family members of a protected person in Canada, who were living abroad at the time of application and whose application for permanent residence was considered concurrently with that of the protected person in Canada. Data for this category are only available for immigrants who have landed since 1990.

Return to note 31 referrer

Note 32

This category includes immigrants who have been selected abroad while outside of their home country or country where they normally lived and who were granted permanent resident status on the basis of a well‑founded fear of returning to that country. The United Nations Refugee Agency, another designated referral organization or a private sponsor referred them for resettlement to Canada. This category includes persons who had a well‑founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in particular social group or political opinion (Geneva Convention refugees) as well as persons who had been seriously and personally affected by civil war or armed conflict, or have suffered a massive violation of human rights.

Return to note 32 referrer

Note 33

This category includes immigrants who have been selected abroad while outside of their home country or country where they normally lived, who were granted permanent resident status on the basis of a well‑founded fear of returning to that country and who have received resettlement assistance from the federal government. The United Nations Refugee Agency or another designated referral organization referred them for resettlement to Canada. This category includes persons who had a well‑founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in particular social group or political opinion (Geneva Convention refugees).

Return to note 33 referrer

Note 34

This category includes immigrants who have been selected abroad while outside of their home country or country where they normally lived, who were granted permanent resident status on the basis of a well‑founded fear of returning to that country and who were privately sponsored by organizations, groups of Canadian citizens and/or permanent residents, or had the funds to support themselves and any dependants after they arrived in Canada. Private sponsors in Canada referred them for resettlement to Canada. This category includes persons who had a well‑founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in particular social group or political opinion (Geneva Convention refugees) as well as persons who had been seriously and personally affected by civil war or armed conflict, or have suffered a massive violation of human rights.

Return to note 34 referrer

Note 35

This category includes immigrants who have been selected abroad while outside of their home country or country where they normally lived, who were granted permanent resident status on the basis of a well‑founded fear of returning to that country and who have received resettlement assistance from both the federal government and private sponsors. The United Nations Refugee Agency or another designated referral organization referred them for resettlement to Canada. This category includes persons who had a well‑founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in particular social group or political opinion (Geneva Convention refugees). The first immigrants admitted under a program classified in this category landed in 2013.

Return to note 35 referrer

Note 36

This category includes immigrants who were granted permanent resident status under a program that does not fall in the economic immigrants, the immigrants sponsored by family or the refugee categories.

Return to note 36 referrer

Note 37

This category includes immigrants who may not have qualified in any program but have been granted, on an exceptional basis, permanent resident status based on humanitarian and compassionate considerations or for public policy reasons. Data for this category are only available for immigrants who have landed since 2002.

Return to note 37 referrer

Note 38

This category includes immigrants who would not normally have qualified under any program but have been granted, on an exceptional basis, permanent resident status based on humanitarian and compassionate considerations. Data for this category are only available for immigrants who have landed since 2002.

Return to note 38 referrer

Note 39

This category includes immigrants who may not have qualified for any program but have been granted, on an exceptional basis, permanent resident status for public policy reasons. Persons admitted under this category would have been exempted from some requirements stipulated in other programs, examples could include, exemption from a requirement to provide particular documentation certifying one's status as a refugee, exemption to pay the processing fee, exemption to meet the age-based requirement, etc. Data for this category are only available for immigrants who have landed since 2004.

Return to note 39 referrer

Note 40

This category includes immigrants who have been granted permanent resident status under a program not classified in any other category.

Return to note 40 referrer

Date modified:: 2022-11-07

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Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021
Appendix 2.9
Admission category disseminated in the 2021 Census of Population

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Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021Appendix 2.9Admission category disseminated in the 2021 Census of Population

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Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021
Appendix 2.9
Admission category disseminated in the 2021 Census of Population