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In collaboration with the Luminato Festival, ICC hosted an Enhanced Citizenship Ceremony on June 7, 2023. Luminato Festival is an annual celebration of the arts across all mediums in city spaces.

“We believe that the arts are essential in building stronger, more connected communities and that creativity can inspire and change the world.” – Luminato Festival

This commitment to community matches ICC’s goals in building inclusivity across Canada. With citizenship ceremonies being open to the public, new Canadians can then feel the celebration and support from the community that surrounds them!

Citizenship Judge Hardish Dhaliwal administered the oath of citizenship and celebrated 40 individuals from 18 countries as Canadian citizens during the ceremony.

The special guest speaker at this ceremony was ICC’s co-founder, John Ralston Saul. While congratulating the Canadians on their citizenship, he encouraged involvement in community activities. When specifically encouraging involvement in the arts, he said:

“The culture of a country is the basis of the country. Therefore, being interested in the arts in a country is one of the most important ways you can be a part of what Canada is and what it has built itself to be.”

Following the ceremony, we joined Little Amal in Nathan Phillips Square. Little Amal is a 12-foot-tall figure inspired by the story of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee. At this time, she is on a tour around the world as a symbol for human rights. Accompanied by musicians and dancers, this celebration of Little Amal also included a speech by the Right Honorable Adrienne Clarkson as an honorary grandmother to Little Amal. Alongside so many other influential women from Toronto and abroad who join her in this title, Madame Clarkson shared her advice to younger children.

This is an example of how art can tell stories that bring people together on local, national, and international levels. By participating in similar activities, Canadians from all walks of life will have the opportunity to make their mark.

To view photos of the Citizenship Ceremony, click here.

With ICC’s Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies, established Canadians have the ability to connect with new citizens building stronger community relationships. If you are interested in volunteering as a roundtable host at one of our ceremonies, please contact ceremonies@inclusion.ca.

Thank you to the guests and performers that participated in this event. For more information, click on their profiles below. 

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The National Gallery of Canada opened its doors to new Canadians on May 26, 2023, for an Enhanced Citizenship Ceremony. Anoksé – an Anishinaabemowin word meaning everything is connected – anchors and directs the Gallery. This played a key role in planning the citizenship ceremony because it drew on the significance of Citizenship Week and the impact that each individual’s actions have within Canada.

Citizenship Judge Rania Sfeir administered the oath of citizenship and celebrated 39 individuals from 19 countries as Canadian citizens.

Upon receiving their Canadian citizenship, new citizens gain access to rights and privileges that they did not have before. With this comes responsibilities, as well, going beyond simply voting in elections. As active citizens, you can and should engage in civic activities, advocate for causes, volunteer, and work towards the betterment of society. ICC’s leader, Daniel Bernhard, congratulated the new Canadians and in his remarks, he continued this sentiment when said:

“The answer to our economic, environmental and cultural challenges is renewal: new energy, new optimism, new ideas, new skills, new resolve – to be better. To do better. That’s what you bring: difference. Different ways of doing things. Different ways of seeing things. You’re our difference makers.”

While candidates received their Canadian citizenship, they could see Parliament Hill through the grand windows in the Gallery. This view sparks the importance of our participation as citizens, inspiring constant change while in the heart of the Canadian political system.

To view photos of the Citizenship Ceremony, click here.

With ICC’s Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies, established Canadians have the ability to connect with new citizens building stronger community relationships. If you are interested in volunteering as a roundtable host at one of our ceremonies, please contact ceremonies@inclusion.ca.

Thank you to the guests and performers that participated in this event. For more information, click on their profiles below.

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Sharing stories of immigration across Canada, the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 sets an empowering backdrop for one of ICC’s Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies. During this ceremony, we were able to host roundtable discussions, have special guests perform, and speak – all in celebration of the new citizens. While every journey of immigration may look different, these individuals were here today sharing their excitement with one another.

On May 30, 2023, Citizenship Judge Joan Mahoney administered the oath of citizenship and celebrated 39 individuals from 17 countries as Canadian citizens.

When choosing guest speakers to join us for ceremonies, we try to highlight the themes and venues chosen. As this ceremony’s theme was celebrating Asian Heritage Month, we asked a local Halifax citizen to join us. Having immigrated to Canada from China in 2000, Wilber Huang became a Canadian citizen in 2005. Huang shares an understanding of the hardships that new citizens find during the process of immigration and the joy you can gain while building a life in Canada. His commitment to volunteering and community organizations is proof that everyday actions can make huge changes to our society.

While speaking to the new citizens, Huang relived the memories of his own citizenship ceremony from 18 years ago! So caught up in the emotion in the room, everyone in attendance felt the genuine sense of warmth and joy that surrounded them.

With ICC’s Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies, established Canadians have the ability to connect with new citizens building stronger community relationships. If you are interested in volunteering as a roundtable host at one of our ceremonies, please contact ceremonies@inclusion.ca.

To view photos of the Citizenship Ceremony, click here.

Thank you to the guests and performers that participated in this event. For more information, click on their profiles below. 

By Adiba Hasan

Minister of Immigration, Sean Fraser, recently introduced category-based selection within its Express Entry program for permanent residence. This new approach aims to “issue invitations to apply to prospective permanent residents with specific skills, training or language ability“. The objective is to meet labour needs in vital sectors such as healthcare, STEM, trades, transportation, agriculture, and agri-food. Additionally, the selection process intends to foster the growth of the francophone community by prioritizing immigrants who are proficient in French.

Canada aims to admit 465,000 permanent residents in 2023. The most recent data that is available on our Citizenship and Immigration Dashboard shows that IRCC has already achieved 30% of the PR number target for the year.

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Invitation to Apply (ITAs)

In the past few months, IRCC attracted headlines for issuing a record-setting number of invitations to apply (ITAs) via Express Entry for permanent residence. The latest round of ITAs were sent on May 24th. The breakdown of monthly ITA draws from the Express Entry pool since the start of 2023 are below:

Month (2023)	ITA Number
January	11,000
February	4,892
March	21,000
April	7,000
May	5,389

While IRCC made headlines for issuing a significant number of ITAs in January and March, numbers for the rest of the year remain unclear.

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Permanent Residence numbers in 2023

The ICC’s Citizenship and Immigration Dashboard tracks citizenship and permanent resident numbers since 2018. In 2023 so far, Canada admitted 145,215 permanent residents, with January accounting for the highest number of admissions at 50,885. Subsequent months have seen a moderate decrease in the number of admissions.

In March, the majority of permanent residents admitted came through the Economic-Federal category, amounting to 17,000 admissions. Economic-PNP dropped from 13,145 in February to 9,525 in March. The Family category also saw a drop, where permanent residents number dropped from 11,055 in February to 9,890 in March. The Other and Refugees categories displayed a steady increase in admitting permanent residents through these streams.

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Permanent Resident Admissions by Province: March Data

Provincially, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan experienced growth in the number of permanent resident admissions, while Nova Scotia experienced a decline.

Snapshot: Quebec

Quebec, with its unique immigration system, plays a significant role in Canada’s immigration landscape. The newly announced category-based selection for Express Entry emphasizes attracting immigrants with French proficiency. This approach aligns with Quebec’s objective of safeguarding the declining population of French speakers in the region.

In 2023, Quebec plans to welcome a total of 52,500 permanent residents, with 16,040 individuals already admitted thus far. Notably, the Economic stream accounts for 65% of the overall target, and out of the 16,040 admissions, 9,790 permanent residents have been admitted through this stream.

As we explore the data, it is evident that substantial progress has been made towards the goal of admitting 465,000 permanent residents by the end of 2023. The recent announcement of category-based selection within the Express Entry program with a focus on attracting French-speaking immigrants reflects the government’s efforts to address labour shortages and bolster the francophone community.

However, some are questioning whether prioritizing French-speaking immigrants through the new selection process aligns with the evolving linguistic landscape of Canada. Data from Statistics Canada indicate that “English-French bilingualism has increased by more than 11 percentage points“.

Share your thoughts and perspective with us! Do you think the new category-based approach for Express Entry sufficiently addresses Canada’s diverse labour needs? What are the potential consequences of such an approach? How can we ensure that a category-based selection process remains fair and equitable?

Take a look at our immigration dashboard for updated numbers of PRs and citizens and add your voice to the conversation (our social media links are below).

You can learn more about the ICC here. Join the conversation and be part of building a more inclusive Canada.

Interested in following us? Please sign up here for more updates from Ideas & Insights at ICC.

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New Citizens were able to celebrate their Canadian citizenship surrounded by the unique aircraft on display at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada. On May 26, 2023, ICC continued Citizenship Week as we hosted an incredible ceremony filled with love, joy and excitement. The Museum set the tone for the stories shared among new citizens and their guests as an inspirational space that highlights bold achievements and acts of courage.

Citizenship Judge Suzanne Carrière administered the oath of citizenship and celebrated 33 individuals from 11 countries as Canadian citizens.

ICC’s Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies shine a spotlight on performers from the community to add more memorable moments throughout the ceremony. The Sadler Sisters performed the national anthem during a ceremony earlier this year in Winnipeg. And on May 26th, they also preformed as EAK Trio with an original song entitled, Grow as we go. The lyrics that struck the heartstrings of the new Canadian citizens were:

I don’t know who we’ll become
I can’t promise it’s not written in the stars
But I believe that when it’s done
We’re gonna see that it was better
That we grew up together

Every experience in a lifetime creates an opportunity to learn. Each lesson shows the strength, wisdom and bravery that people have and prepares each individual for what comes next. This personal development builds space for people to shape their lives as they wish. While navigating these challenges, it is important to remember that you are not alone. Your community stands with you – supporting your lows and celebrating your highs.

With ICC’s Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies, established Canadians have the ability to connect with new citizens building stronger community relationships. If you are interested in volunteering as a roundtable host at one of our ceremonies, please contact ceremonies@inclusion.ca.

To view photos of the Citizenship Ceremony, click here.

Thank you to the guests and performers that participated in this event. For more information, click on their profiles below.

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Toronto Newcomer Day is an annual event that celebrates the diverse communities in Toronto. Held each May since 2015, everyone is welcome to participate in the festivities that provide helpful information to newcomers, as well as, celebrating their contributions to the city. There is no better day to hold an Enhanced Citizenship Ceremony than alongside this event at Toronto City Hall. On May 25, 2023, ICC hosted this ceremony with cultural performers and special guest speakers to make this day extraordinary for the new citizens.

Citizenship Judge Hardish Dhaliwal administered the oath of citizenship and celebrated 37 individuals from 11 countries as Canadian citizens.

As many newcomers know, moving to a new place and adjusting to a new way of life is a very difficult process. While each journey is unique, ICC’s signature roundtable discussions hope to bring citizens and their guests together through conversation. This provides a platform to share their stories and continue to build a social network with other individuals who understand them. Toronto Newcomer Day shares this goal and, on the day, created an exciting environment for these discussions to take place inside Toronto City Hall. Afterwards, the citizenship ceremony moved into Nathan Phillips Square amidst the Toronto Newcomer Day festivities.

Toronto Newcomer Day is an excellent opportunity for everyone in Toronto to experience all the inclusivity found within the city. Whether you arrived in Canada yesterday or have spent your whole life here, this event has something for you. Community organizations, settlement agencies, and local businesses took part in the Newcomer Marketplace and information fair. Here, newcomers on every step of their journey can find support from kind and compassionate community members.

With ICC’s Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies, established Canadians have the ability to connect with new citizens building stronger community relationships. If you are interested in volunteering as a roundtable host at one of our ceremonies, please contact ceremonies@inclusion.ca.

To view photos of the Citizenship Ceremony, click here.

Thank you to the guests and performers that participated in this event. For more information, click on their profiles below.

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The Ukrainian Museum of Canada welcomed candidates on May 24, 2023, for an Enhanced Citizenship Ceremony in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The Museum works hard to preserve Ukrainian culture while supporting Ukrainian Canadians across the country. Distance during a time of migration for any reason can be a challenge that many people from around the world share. Supporting one another in a community space like this one is a way to cope, as well as, celebrate the new opportunities that will come along with being a Canadian.

Presiding Official Dr. Bill Waiser administered the oath of citizenship and celebrated 40 individuals from 6 countries as Canadian citizens.

As our population continues to grow, there is an increasing number of cultures celebrated within the borders of Canada. During our roundtable discussions before the oath taking, one new citizen shared:

“We don’t have to wipe out our culture to be Canadian, so that is something that we really loved. And we feel at home. This is our second home, but more importantly, we get to keep our culture.”

For new citizens, the decision to become Canadian does not erase their identity or their history. This is important because shared cultural values and traditions create a sense of belonging. As cultural identity is always changing, migration and citizenship can affect this relationship. However, becoming Canadian does not enforce one single identity. You can be many things and belong to many spaces in Canada. Using respect and compassion, we can build bridges between the many different cultures here creating connections and fostering a welcoming society.

With ICC’s Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies, established Canadians have the ability to connect with new citizens building stronger community relationships. If you are interested in volunteering as a roundtable host at one of our ceremonies, please contact ceremonies@inclusion.ca.

To view photos of the Citizenship Ceremony, click here.

Thank you to the guests and performers that participated in this event. For more information, click on their profiles below.

By Adiba Hasan

In an era of global mobility, the concept of citizenship has stood as a cornerstone of belonging and identity. In February 2023, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship released new StatCan data revealing a steep decline in the number of recent immigrants choosing to become citizens. We found that only 45.7% of eligible permanent residents naturalized within 10 years — a 40% decline for this cohort since 2001.

But how does Canada compare to other countries? As part of our ongoing efforts to explore what might be behind the decline, this article seeks to benchmark Canadian naturalization patterns with available data and information from other peer nations.

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Peer country comparisons

Data on immigration is critical for understanding the dynamics of naturalization, as is an understanding of the rules governing citizenship eligibility. Immigration data availability and eligibility criteria differ across jurisdictions. The following table provides a breakdown of key details related to citizenship across five peer countries, including Canada.

Country	Residency Time Required Prior to Citizenship	Legal Status Prior to Citizenship	Dual Nationality Allowed	Statistics Office	Immigration Office
Australia	4 Years	Permanent Resident	Yes	Australian Bureau of Statistics	Department of Home Affairs; Department of Immigration and Border Protection
Canada	3 of 5 Years	Permanent Resident	Yes	Statistics Canada	Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
France	5 Years	Permanent Residence	Yes	Ministry of Interior – Ministerial Statistical Office of Immigration	The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
United Kingdom	5 Years	Indefinite leave to remain/settlement	Yes	Office of National Statistics	Home Office
United States	5 Years	Lawful Permanent Resident/ Greencard Holder	Yes	Office of Immigration Statistics	Department of Homeland Security; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

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While there are certain distinctions, the table reveals a number of similarities across jurisdictions, which makes them interesting from a comparative perspective. Here are some key highlights:

1. Overall, residency requirements for citizenship are similar across the five countries; Canada and Australia have slightly shorter residency requirements by comparison.
2. Permanent residency is a common prerequisite for citizenship across all countries.
3. All of the peer countries allow dual nationality.
4. Each country has designated statistical and immigration offices responsible for gathering and managing immigration-related data. The United States is the only country that does not have a dedicated Statistics office but rather the main government departments have branches that are responsible for immigration-related data.

Benchmarking challenges – data consistency and availability

During this analysis, we discovered that data on citizenship uptake is released at different intervals and through different statistics offices, depending on the country. In particular, it was not possible to find consistent cohort-based naturalization trends across the different countries (eg. comparative naturalization rates for permanent residents who arrived less than ten years ago). Accordingly, we had to take a longer view in order to compare naturalization rates, looking at overall naturalization rates for all immigrants.

Trends in the naturalization rate (OECD data)

Very few recent studies have looked at comparative naturalization rates. One organization in particular, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) consolidates and tracks naturalization data from all of its member countries, with the most recent data coming from 2017. These naturalization rates reflect the proportion (%) of immigrants who acquired citizenship within their respective “host country”. The following table shows comparative rates between 2006-7 and 2017.

In 2006-2007 Australia had a naturalization rate of 81.7%, while France and the United Kingdom had naturalization rates of 64.9% and 68.1%, respectively. The United States had a lower naturalization rate among the selected countries with only 62% of immigrants becoming citizens.

By 2017, Australia managed to maintain a relatively consistent naturalization rate (81.4%), and the rate in the United States also remained relatively stable, albeit lower compared to its peers (62.3%).

Naturalization is decreasing across OECD member countries and the EU

The 2017 data for the rest of the peer countries, including the overall rates for the OECD and the EU, show a notable decline in naturalization rates. France had a decrease of 5.3 percentage points with a rate of 59.6%, and the rate for the United Kingdom fell 10 percentage points to 58.1%. Naturalization across all OECD members decreased 4 percentage points from 66.8% in 2006-2007 to 62.8% in 2017, and across the EU it declined almost 10 percentage points from 67.8% to 58%. Generally speaking, the data show that naturalization rates have declined across the peer countries as a whole.

Naturalization in Canada was stable, but is now trending downward

OECD data show that Canada has maintained a stable and relatively high overall naturalization rate over the examined period. However, more recent data from Statistics Canada show a different story; Canada’s overall naturalization rate has declined significantly in recent years.

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	1991	1996	2001	2006	2011	2016	2021
All Immigrants	81.1	83.2	84.0	85.1	85.6	85.8	80.7
Adult Immigrants	81.6	83.7	84.5	85.7	86.3	86.2	81.7
Adult Immigrants arrived 5-9 years ago	68.6	75.4	75.1	73.0	67.5	60.4	45.7

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According to the 2021 census, only 80.7% of eligible permanent residents overall have chosen to become citizens. This high-level trend in Canada’s overall naturalization rate is all the more troubling given that the rate among recent immigrants has sunk to 45.7%.

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Annual figures: Citizenship acquisition (OECD data)

When it comes to the number of people acquiring citizenship (rather than the proportion of all immigrants), the United States consistently recorded the highest number of citizenship acquisitions between 2010 and 2020, with a peak of 843,593 in 2019.

Canadian citizenship acquisition numbers fluctuated throughout the period, with a peak of 259,274 in 2014. The United Kingdom also experienced fluctuations in its numbers, reaching a peak of 208,021 in 2013. (NOTE: You can track up-to-date monthly data on new Canadian citizens and permanent residents by visiting our Citizenship and Immigration Dashboard. Click here).

Australia and France had lower overall numbers compared to Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Australia experienced fluctuations throughout the period, while France saw a relatively stable number of acquisitions of nationality.

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Key takeaway: Naturalization rates are in decline in many places

Despite fluctuations in the number of people becoming citizens, this analysis reveals that overall naturalization rates are in decline in many places beyond Canada.

The Canadian government has launched some initiatives to promote the value and benefits of Canadian citizenship such as streamlining the citizenship application process and simplifying the language and knowledge requirements for citizenship applicants. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no clear government strategy aimed at pushing against declining naturalization rates in Canada.

Other countries are acting.

The United States, for example, has established the Interagency Strategy for Promoting Naturalization, an initiative that aims to address low naturalization rates by bringing together various government agencies to enhance outreach and education efforts to provide assistance to people who are eligible to become citizens.

Moving forward, it will be crucial for countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia to continue exploring innovative strategies to reverse the decline in naturalization rates and encourage eligible individuals to embrace citizenship.

You can learn more about the ICC here. Join the conversation and be part of building a more inclusive Canada.

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As we celebrate the incredible contributions made by Canadians of Asian heritage throughout the month of May, there is no better place to host an Enhanced Citizenship Ceremony than at the Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre in Alberta. On May 16, 2023, ICC welcomed new citizens and their guests into a beautiful space that fosters multiculturalism. Also home to a museum, the Centre prioritizes broadmindedness through classes, programming, and events. In doing so, it has become a community hub open to all.

Citizenship Judge Suzanne Carrière administered the oath of citizenship and celebrated 37 individuals from 10 countries as Canadian citizens.

Along with beautiful conversations throughout the roundtable discussions, poet, Adetola Adedipe, spoke and performed. Having taken her oath of citizenship two years ago, Adetola knows the truth of how strong emotions can be in this moment. Before beginning her poem, she said:

“As new Canadians, what you bring to Canada is who you are and who you were before coming to Canada. Who you are and were brings so much value to Canada.”

In welcoming new Canadians, we continue to build the identity of what it means to be Canadian. Through empowering one another, each new citizen will continue this story with their own successes and triumphs.

Adetola then performed her poem, If I, highlighting the skills and strengths people gain through each of their own life experiences. Comparing our journeys to one another is natural. However, it is always important to recognize and compare where you are now to where you once were. In this, our journeys have a way of defining us.

With ICC’s Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies, established Canadians have the ability to connect with new citizens building stronger community relationships. If you are interested in volunteering as a roundtable host at one of our ceremonies, please contact ceremonies@inclusion.ca.

To view photos of the Citizenship Ceremony, click here.

Finally, thank you to the guests and performers that participated in this event. For more information, click on their profiles below.

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On May 11, 2023, ICC celebrated National Nursing Week! In our Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies, we choose themes that represent our communities because it is important to foster these relationships. Remembering the amazing work that nurses do across Canada, every day is important for the future success of our health care. Nurses hold courage and commitment in their hearts. This is a quality they share with many people in the process of applying for their Canadian citizenship. ICC celebrated these courageous candidates becoming Canadians at the Foundry Room in Edmonton, Alberta on this day.

Presiding Official Joel Christian administered the oath of citizenship and celebrated 41 individuals from 6 countries as Canadian citizens.

During our signature roundtable discussions, many new citizens shared their stories. This included all of the highs and the lows that came along with the decision to move to a new country. Our volunteers and special guests joined in the discussions as hosts making the day even more memorable. Throughout this time, new citizens have the opportunity to connect with one another by discovering shared experiences and expressing what being Canadian means to them. This can range from being an active citizen who is excited to vote to a hockey fan who just loves everything about winter. While thinking on the openness and vulnerability in the room, one young participant shared:

“The culture in Canada is so rich. There are so many diverse cultures, and every culture has its roots. Every culture, every people – they hold each other. So, they can go through things together and I love that about Canada.”

After the roundtable discussions, candidates took their oath of citizenship! Sharing in the festivities, special guest Ellie Heath performed her new single, Happiness. The lyrics she sang matched the feelings of so many in attendance. In that moment and every moment, each person deserved the happiness and joy that they felt.

With ICC’s Enhanced Citizenship Ceremonies, established Canadians have the ability to connect with new citizens building stronger community relationships. If you are interested in volunteering as a roundtable host at one of our ceremonies, please contact ceremonies@inclusion.ca.

To view photos of the Citizenship Ceremony, click here.

Finally, we would like to say thank you to the guests and performers that participated in this event. For more information, click on their profiles below.