First Immigrants

• In 1865, ship records show, aspiring Canadian immigrants arrived in Quebec's port.ships at sea image by Stephen Orsillo from Fotolia.com
  
  According to The Ships List website, accounting for Canada's first immigrants arriving by ship, records show that starting in 1865 the majority of Canadian immigrants arrived through Quebec's port. During winter months, immigrant ships anchored in New York, Boston, Portland, Maine and then in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Saint John, New Brunswick. Westbound vessels sailed from numerous ports in Britain and Europe, and from the 1860s, many European and Scandinavian emigrants traveled first to England, or another European port, then boarded a ship toward North America.
  
  During this time, and before 1885, restrictions on immigration were imposed mostly in response to large waves of immigrants from Europe and Scandinavia and a swell of Chinese immigrants rather than a planned government policy decision or act.
  
  

Immigration Act History

• In the late 19th century, Chinese immigrants helped construct the Canadian Pacific Railway.railway image by Pali A from Fotolia.com
  
  In 1885, the Canadian government passed the Chinese Head Tax legislation because of the influx of Chinese immigrants working on the Canadian Pacific Railway. As taxes increased in 1900 and 1903, the financial obligation limited Chinese entry into Canada.
  
  In 1923, the government passed the Chinese Immigration Act, which excluded all Chinese people from entering Canada between 1923 and 1947. The Canadian government made an official government apology to the Chinese on June 22, 2006, for blatant discrimination, including compensation for those Chinese immigrant families.
  
  

Early Citizenship

• Canadian citizenship was originally created under the Immigration Act of 1910. The act deemed British citizens already living and working in the country as citizens; any other British people seeking immigration required permission by the Canadian government to live on their land. Under the Canadian Nationals Act of 1921, a separate status of "Canadian national" included the wife and children of an establish British-Canadian immigrant.
  
  

Immigration Act Repeals and Amendments

• The Immigration Act 1976 helped guide immigrants into the country legally and safely. However, the 1976 act restricted dual citizenship (immigrants had to forgo their other nationality to become fully Canadian citizens). On February 15, 1977, however, the Canadian government removed dual citizenship restrictions. As of 2010, Canadian citizens are moreover not subjected to any loss of citizenship unless they are found of illegally immigrating into the country.
  
  The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, added to the Immigration Act in 2002, protects current immigrants and helps refugees seeking asylum enter the country safely and legally.
  
  

Immigration Act Categories

• The Immigration Act's Family Class category allows family members to immigrate legally.family image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
  
  According to the Canada Immigration and Visa website, as of 2008, there are three categories of immigrants.
  
  The first immigration category is the Family Class, or those individuals seeking to immigrate to Canada who have close family already living in Canada. The second category, Independent Immigrants, is for those individuals admitted into the country on the basis of a point system accounting for age, health and labor-market skills for white-collar or blue-collar market. The last category addresses refugees who are admitted into the country seeking protection by the Canadian government and who will remain residents in the country.
  
  

Facts and Figures

• According to the Government of Canada's Citizenship and Immigration website, as of 2008, 247,243 immigrants live in the Canadian provinces. Refugee immigrants total 21,860; family class immigrants total 65,567; and economic category immigrants include 149,072 individuals.
  
  As of 2010, the Canada Immigration Act is known as a welcoming immigration policy, which can be seen in Canada's ethnic diversity. According to the 2006 census by Statistics Canada, Canada is home to 6,186,950 foreign-born people, accounting for one in five (19.8 percent) of the total population; this is the the highest proportion in 75 years.
  
  

Simplified Application Process

• According to the Immigration Canada website, as of 2006 immigration to Canada is quicker because of the Simplified Application Process. Citizenship and Immigration Canada announced the Simplified Application Process for skilled workers seeking to live and work in Canada. Starting September 1, 2006, candidates seeking immigration need only to submit the Application for Permanent Residence in Canada form and a processing fee (as of 2010, principal applicants under 22 pay $75 CAD ($72 USD) and those over 22 pay $475 CAD ($458 USD). After approximately four months, the Visa Office will process the application and request additional forms and supporting documents.
  
  Before 2006, all immigration applicants had to submit a stack of required forms and support documentation with their initial application per Canadian Immigration Act regulations. Because visa processing times took so long, immigration officers had to ask for updated information when originals became outdated. However, temporary residents on student or visitors visas and other immigrant categories selected by a Canadian Visa Office will continue to use the pre-2006 application process.