Immigrant status of person

Status: This standard was approved as a recommended standard on March 21, 2016.

Definition

Immigrant status refers to whether the person is a non-immigrant, an immigrant or a non-permanent resident.

Person refers to an individual and is the unit of analysis for most social statistics programs.

Derivation

This variable can be derived from responses to survey questions on landed immigrant status and citizenship. Persons who are 'Canadian citizens by birth' are 'non-immigrants.' Persons who are, or who have ever been, landed immigrants or permanent residents are 'immigrants.' Persons who are 'Canadian citizens by naturalization' are also 'immigrants.' Persons who do not have Canadian citizenship and who are not landed immigrants or permanent residents are 'non-permanent residents.'

This variable can also be derived from administrative records provided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Persons who are, or who have ever been, landed immigrants or permanent residents are 'immigrants', while those who have work or study or temporary resident permits, or who have claimed refugee status (asylum claimants) are 'non-permanent residents.'

Classifications

Relation to previous version

  • Immigrant status of person March 21, 2016 to current

    September 24, 2021 - The definition of 'non-permanent resident' has been modified in the Classification of immigrant status.

    March 21, 2016 - This standard has been updated by adding a derivation section. The classification has been revised for greater precision in the category definitions.

  • Immigrant status of person May 08, 2013 to March 20, 2016

    This was the recommended standard from May 08, 2013 to March 20, 2016.

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