Macleans: Why it’s the best time ever to be a Canadian

Canada,” says Bannerjee, “is a better place than most other countries for immigrants.” In fact, it’s one of the very best, as mounting research reveals. Canada ranks third, after Sweden and Portugal, of 31 countries in Europe and North America for how well it grants equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities to immigrants, according to the latest Migrant Integration Policy Index. The study partly measures how easily immigrants can enter the labour market, gain education, and sponsor family, and was co-researched by international think tanks, including ACS. “It’s not just about assimilation in Canada. Immigrants are encouraged, or at least permitted, to maintain their identity to a large extent,” says Bannerjee. That improves their chances of success because “identity conflicts” are mostly taken out of the equation. Although issues arise, more often “that’s not on your mind, so you can go about the most important parts of your settlement.”Read more