Aging amongst immigrants in Canada: population drift

Abstract

In Canada, two interesting demographic trends have been underway: an aging population and a growth based upon immigration. These patterns combine to form a new group that seems to have evaded notice. According to the 2001 Census of Canada, immigrants are older than the national average and almost 31% of the immigrants from Europe are over 65 years of age. Of the total senior population, 28.4% are immigrants with 5% of Asian descent. Overall, 7.2% of the senior’s population is a visible minority. These patterns have implications for policy development and service delivery. As immigrants age in Canada, they will have very different expectations for services than non-immigrants and immigrants who aged in their home country. This paper offers recommendations for policy planners and service providers in health and social welfare services.