So many people want to immigrate to Canada that we can hardly accommodate them all. Our big cities feel cramped, social services are strained, and homeownership is increasingly out of reach for those below the age of 40.
But perhaps the surest proof of too many newcomers is this: 18 percent of all immigrants leave Canada within 25 years and don’t return. Surprisingly, half of those who leave are economic immigrants who were selected because they had skills that our country needs and because they had secured high-wage jobs before arriving here. This phenomenon was analyzed in a 2024 study by the Conference Board of Canada called “The Leaky Bucket.” The study concluded that so many immigrants leave because they have not formed a permanent economic or cultural attachment to Canada, they find better opportunities elsewhere, and the number of annual departures is growing.
