Canadian Immigrants Day – May 22, 2027

History of Canadian Immigrants Day

The U.S. and Canada have a long history with each other. When the United States gained independence from the British, several loyalist anti-Americans fled to Canada, which was still a British colony. Over the years, the two countries’ relations have oscillated between tense and amicable. The first wave of Canadian immigration to the U.S. began in the mid-1800s when the majority of the influx of people consisted of unskilled labor looking for jobs. A significant portion of the Canadian immigrants that relocated to the U.S. during the early 1900s were people fleeing from religious discrimination.

After the Second World War, Canada’s economy began to stabilize and the quality of life within the nation improved. This, in turn, decreased the number of people immigrating to the U.S. from Canada. Furthermore, the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 drastically limited migration to the country from within the Western hemisphere. However, the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) made it easier for Canadian citizens to access new temporary work visas, thus boosting immigration.

Today, the United States accounts for over 60% of emigration numbers from Canada, followed by the UK, Australia, France, and Italy. There are around 800,000 Canadian immigrants in the U.S. among whom are students, working professionals, family migrants, retirees, e.t.c.