Canada ranks fourth in world ranking for immigrant-friendly policies

TORONTO, Dec. 9, 2020 /CNW/ - The Migration Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) releases its international scorecard, which ranks the policy performance of 52 countries from five continents. Canada received a high score of 80, placing it fourth from the top in recognition of its comprehensive, immigrant-friendly policies that emphasize equal rights, opportunities and security for newcomers.

"The MIPEX scores allow us to gauge how well our policies support or hinder newcomers on their path to settle into Canadian society," says Anna Triandafyllidou, the Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Migration and Integration at Ryerson University. "The index helps us compare our performance over time and identify where we have room for improvement or the potential to learn from other countries." 

The MIPEX Index is the most comprehensive international benchmark for integration policies and the most used by policymakers, civil society, researchers and the media.  The policies that governments put in place affect how easily newcomers can find jobs, access language and education opportunities, develop a sense of belonging, and grow to become citizens who participate fully in society. The CERC Migration program compiled the Canadian data set for the 2020 index.

"Among English-speaking countries, Canada is becoming a more attractive and inclusive global destination," says Thomas Huddleston, Director of Research for the Migration Policy Group. "Canada, along with New Zealand, is taking the place of previous top-ranking countries such as Australia, the UK and the United States, which all go down in the MIPEX rankings this round under pressure from populist political forces."

According to MIPEX research, integration policies emerge as one of the strongest factors shaping not only the public's willingness to accept and interact with immigrants, but also immigrants' own attitudes, belonging, participation and even health in their new home country.

Highlights from the MIPEX 2020 release

• Details of the MIPEX2020 release will be announced at a virtual event at 10 a.m., Dec. 9, 2020.
• Canada's overall score increases by two points due to improvements in access to healthcare for asylum seekers and improvements to the 2017 Citizenship Act.
• The last MIPEX index was reported in 2015 where Canada ranked 6^th overall.
• Canada's greatest strength is in anti-discrimination policies. It receives the top score because of its world-leading laws and policies, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Canada's national policies on multiculturalism.
• Canada loses points because non-citizens have no opportunity for political participation at the local and national level, and there is a lack of representation of non-citizens in policy-setting bodies.
• Canada gains points because permanent residents have the opportunity to obtain citizenship, and hence voting rights, relatively quickly.
• Labour market mobility needs the greatest amount of improvement. Migrants without legal documents or with restricted temporary work permits face barriers to employment, and hence limited access to health care, as well.
• The MIPEX 2020 Canada profile can be downloaded at: https://www.mipex.eu/canada
• The MIPEX International report can be downloaded at: https://www.mipex.eu/key-findings-2020

About the 5th edition of the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX)

MIPEX is produced by the Migration Policy Group (MPG) and the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB). MIPEX2020 covers the period 2014-2019 and measures policies to integrate migrants in 52 countries across five continents: Europe, Asia, North and South America and Oceania.

About CERC Migration

The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration program at Ryerson University is connecting Canada and the world to address challenges of global migration. The program is producing innovative and usable knowledge on the links between migration and post-migration processes, forced and voluntary mobility, internal and international migration, and the role of countries of origin and transit. https://www.ryerson.ca/cerc-migration/.

SOURCE The Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Migration and Integration

Laura Matthews, [email protected], [phone]