Reshaping the Mosaic: Canadian Immigration Policy in the Twenty-First Century

by Ninette Kelley, Jeffrey G. Reitz, Michael J. Trebilcock

Overview

Immigration remains a cornerstone of national policy, although it has undergone significant transformations across economic, family, and refugee admission streams in the past two decades. Reshaping the Mosaic offers an insightful exploration of Canada's immigration policy, ranging from its historical roots to contemporary developments.

The book examines the growth in permanent and temporary immigration to Canada. It explores changes in selection criteria and evaluates their impact on key policy objectives: contributing to Canadian economic prosperity, facilitating family reunification, providing refuge for those fleeing persecution, and enabling the integration of immigrants and their descendants into Canadian society. The book sheds light on the legal, political, economic, and social paradoxes inherent in Canadian immigration policy, highlighting shifts in exclusion powers, deportation practices, settlement support, and citizenship rules, as well as their implications for Canadian ideals of multiculturalism, fairness, and integration. It documents the lack of transparency and informed public engagement in policy formation and the implications this lack may have on maintaining public confidence and ensuring that immigration policies align with the national interests.

Driven by a conviction that the contemporary changes in immigration policy need to be examined in a comprehensive and inclusive way, Reshaping the Mosaic looks at recent shifts and their implications for society and offers invaluable insights for policymakers, scholars, and stakeholders, aiming to assist the development of a new immigration policy framework.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781487562977
Publisher:	University of Toronto Press
Publication date:	03/15/2025
Series:	Utp Insights
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Ninette Kelley is a lawyer and former official of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Jeffrey G. Reitz is the R.F. Harney Professor Emeritus of Ethnic, Immigration, and Pluralism Studies, a professor emeritus of sociology, and an affiliated faculty member at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the University of Toronto.
Michael J. Trebilcock is a university professor emeritus of law and economics at the University of Toronto.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction: Canadian Immigration Policy at a Crossroads
Immigration and the Canadian Mosaic
Public Support
Canadian Exceptionalism
Fault Lines
Ideas, Interests, and Institutions in Policy Evolution
Structure of the Book

Part 1: A Historical Reprise
Pre-Confederation
The First Hundred Years: 1867–1967
1867–1914: Consolidating the Dominion
1914–1930: Between Two Extremes
1930–1950: Retrenchment
1950–1966: Shifting Emphasis
Policy Transformed: 1967–2001
1967–1975: Towards a New Immigration Act
1976–1987: Greater Inclusion and Transparency
1988–2001: Calls for Change
Main Historical Shifts

Part 2: Immigration to Canada: Rapid Change and Expansion
Eligibility Criteria
Inadmissibility Grounds
Avenues of Appeal and Review
2.1 Economic Stream: Accelerated Change and Growth
Context
Relevant Legislative Provisions
Changing Priorities and Programs
Surge in Temporary Foreign Workers
Expansion of Permanent Immigration Admissions
Impact of Changes
A Problematic Scenario: Restructure then Quickly Expand
2.2 Family Sponsorship: Raising Requirements
Context
Relevant Legislative Provisions
Requirements of Sponsors
Bars to Sponsorship
Eligible Family Members
Family: A Cornerstone of Effective Integration
Family Redefined
Future Priorities
2.3 Refugees: Greater Selectivity and Barriers to Asylum
Context
Relevant Legislative Provisions
Overseas Selection
Inland Refugee Determination
Cessation of Refugee Status
Future Priorities

Part 3: Membership and Belonging: Precarious Status
Overview
3.1. Deportation: Disproportionate Response
Context
Relevant Legislative Provisions
Pre-removal Detention: Length, Conditions, and Oversight
Deportation: Limited Review and Consequences
Proportionality: Towards a More Balanced Approach
3.2. Integration: Short-Term Programs, Long-Term Barriers
Context
Government Responsibility for Immigrant Integration
Relevant Legislative Provisions
Settlement Services
Integration Policies and Programs under Other Legislation
Assessing Immigrant Integration
Holistic Strategies: A More Comprehensive Approach
3.3 Citizenship: Raising the Bar
Context
Citizenship in the Twenty-First Century
Resolving Status and Limiting Access: 2002–2009
Tightening Requirements: 2010–2022
Advancing Equity in Citizenship Acquisition

Conclusion: Where To from Here?
Key Substantive Changes
Economic Class: Dramatic Redesign, Employer and Provincial Involvement, More Temporary Workers
Family Class: More Restrictive Eligibility Criteria
Refugees: Greater Numbers, Changing Selection Priorities
Integration: Diffusion of Responsibility
Annual Admissions: Doubling in Ten Years
Removal
Citizenship
Policy Process
Public Accountability
Enhanced Data, Evidence, and Analysis
Federal Provincial Coordination
Role of Artificial Intelligence in Program Administration
The Case for Incrementalism

Appendix: Figures
Index