Statistics Canada’s 2022 Longitudinal Immigration Database reveals trends in immigrant retention rates across Canada. Atlantic provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador) saw rising retention rates, while the prairie provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba experienced declines. Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta displayed the highest five-year retention rates for newcomers who landed in 2016, exceeding 84%, with Ontario leading at 93.1%. Saskatchewan and Manitoba witnessed significant drops in retention rates for those landing between 2012-2016. New Brunswick reached its highest five-year retention rate in the Atlantic provinces at 56%, and PEI reported an increase, though it still has the lowest retention rate at 30.9%. Newfoundland and Labrador’s one-year retention rate rose from 55% in 2016 to 66.4% in 2020. While most newcomers settle in larger provinces due to established immigrant communities, rural regions may struggle to maintain a robust labour force.
