Canadian Essentials

A definitive guide to a perplexing and increasingly polarized topic, Immigration and Canada distills the latest research into a highly accessible account, explaining how Canada's immigration system works, both domestically and within the context of international migration, and how profoundly it shapes the lives of newcomers and the fabric of Canadian society. Written for readers unfamiliar with the field, the book delivers information concisely in a lively Q&A format, without sacrificing analytical depth. As well as providing a helpful backgrounder, the authors address more complex and delicate questions – Is immigration good for the economy? Are immigrants learning the official languages? Are immigrants driving the housing crisis? Is Canadian immigration policy still racially biased? – responding with clear, evidence-based analysis. This primer offers a welcome understanding of Canada's immigration system, its historical development and current pressures, the politics of immigration across the country including Quebec, and critical data on immigration and integration trends. Amid widespread misinformation, Immigration and Canada fosters informed debate on one of today's most topical issues. Jennifer Elrick (Author) Jennifer Elrick is associate professor of sociology and chair in multiculturalism at McGill University. Mireille Paquet (Author) Mireille Paquet is professor of political science and university research chair on the politics of immigration at Concordia University. A definitive and accessible guide to how Canada's immigration system actually works, structured around a series of no-holds-barred questions most often raised in the news and debated in the public square. Series editor: Daniel Béland Provocative thinking and accessible writing are more necessary than ever to illuminate Canadian society and to understand the opportunities and challenges that Canada faces. A joint venture between McGill-Queen's University Press and the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, this series arms politically active readers with the understanding necessary for engaging in - and improving - public debate on the fundamental issues that have shaped our nation. Offering diverse and multidisciplinary perspectives on the leading subjects Canadians care about, Canadian Essentials seeks to make foundational and cutting-edge knowledge more accessible to informed citizens, practitioners, and students. Each title in this series aims to bolster individual action in order to support a better, more inclusive and dynamic country. Canadian Essentials welcomes proposals for concise and well-written books dealing with far-reaching and timely Canadian topics from a broad swath of authors, both within and outside of academia. An accessible roadmap to how Canada's immigration system actually works. "There's so much at stake for the entire country if we let immigration policy be swayed by misinformation. This creative book brings the best academic research to ordinary Canadians, illuminating the complex phenomenon of immigration as a social institution, just like education and the judicial systems." Nicholas Keung, reporter, The Toronto Star "This important book engages the public where it is at – curious, perhaps even skeptical, about immigration. Approachably written, Immigration and Canada is an evidence-based resource on a topic that is politicized and widely misunderstood." Christina Clark-Kazak, editor of Forced Migration in/to Canada: From Colonization to Refugee Resettlement "An outstanding book, balanced in its coverage and even-handed in its assessment of the strengths and current challenges of our immigration system." Vic Satzewich, author of Points of Entry: How Canada's Immigration Officers Decide Who Gets In