Canada is evaluating how many immigrants to admit in the years to come—an issue that has been central to immigration policy discussions over the past year. Many stakeholders have offered their thoughts. For example, the federal government’s Advisory Council on Economic Growth has recommended that Canada increase its immigration levels to 450,000—the current annual target is 300,000—to stimulate the economy and help alleviate the economic and fiscal challenges of an aging population and low birth rate.

In this report, The Conference Board of Canada weighs in on the conversation by forecasting the economic and fiscal impacts of three immigration scenarios from 2017 to 2040. Our analysis uses conservative assumptions to avoid overstating the economic and fiscal benefits of immigration. The report also explores what factors need to be effectively addressed to maintain a successful immigration system.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Chapter 1–Introduction

• Canada’s Immigration Levels: Past and Present
• Policy Considerations
• Economic Considerations
• Forecasting the Impacts of Three Immigration Scenarios
• Summary of Our Methodology
• Results of the Three Immigration Scenarios
• Building on the Success of Canada’s Immigration System
• Conclusion

Appendix A–Bibliography