Since confederation in 1867 through to the contemporary era, decadal and demi-decadal census reports in Canada have compiled detailed immigration statistics.
[3][4][5][6] In a linear timeline following initial British and French colonization, what is now Canada has seen four major waves (or peaks) of immigration and settlement of non-Indigenous Peoples take place over a span of nearly two centuries.
[14] The 2021 census reported that immigrants comprised 8,361,505 individuals or 23.0 percent of the total Canadian population.
[15][16][10] The 2016 census reported that immigrants comprised 7,540,830 individuals or 21.9 percent of the total Canadian population.
The 2011 census reported that immigrants comprised 6,775,765 individuals or 20.6 percent of the total Canadian population.