August 2021

Burnaby Demographics

39.8% of Burnaby’s total population

spoke English only as their mother tongue, notably lower (14%) than Metro Vancouver’s regional level of 54.0%.
Source: 2016 Census

10% of Burnaby’s recent immigrants

were unemployed in 2015, significantly higher than their Canadian born counterparts (6.5%).
Source: 2016 Census

Burnaby was home to the fourth-largest

immigrant population (115,145) in the Metro Vancouver Region, representing 11.6% of Metro Vancouver’s immigrant population.
Source: 2016 Census

In 2015 35.6% of the recent

immigration population age 15 and over were in the low income bracket, down from 41.8% in 2010.
Source: 2016 Census

44.4% Of Burnaby's recent

immigration population came from China and the Philippines.
Source: 2016 Census

In 2016 56.4% of recent immigrants

aged 25 to 64 had a bachelor's degree or higher, up from 54.9% in 2011.
Source: 2016 Census

In 2016 Immigrants represented

50% of Burnaby's total population - that's 115,145 people.
Source: 2016 Census

232,080 residents

lived in Burnaby in 2015.
Source: 2016 Census

26.2% of Burnaby’s recent immigrants

worked in the retail trade, and the accommodation and food services sectors in 2015.
Source: 2016 Census

66.0% of Burnaby’s recent immigrants

were between the ages of 15 and 44 when arriving Canada.
Source: 2016 Census

8.7% of Burnaby's recent immigrants

are refugees.
Source: 2016 Census

66.6% of Burnaby's recent immigrants

spoke non-official languages most often at home in 2016, notably more than 62.1% of Metro Vancouver’s recent immigrants.
Source: 2016 Census

62.4% of Burnaby's 16,065 recent immigrants

arrived under the economic class, similar to Metro Vancouver’s regional levels (63%).
Source: 2016 Census

15.7% of Burnaby’s recent immigrants

spoke non-official languages at work.
Source: 2016 Census

30.5% of Burnaby’s recent immigrants

spoke Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese and Chinese n.o.s. combined) most often at home.
Source: 2016 Census

54% of Burnaby's labour force

are immigrants.
Source: 2016 Census

63.6% Burnaby’s residents

self-identified as visible minorities.
Source: 2016 Census

See Report...

Physician mission: B.C. pressed to recognize qualifications of foreign-trained doctors

August 29, 2021

By Vancouver Sun Dr. Harry Tabrizi — an ear, nose and throat surgeon who practised medicine for more than a decade in Iran before immigrating to Canada — now sells hearing aids in Surrey. The problem? Tabrizi and thousands of other foreign-trained doctors are unable to get approved to work as physicians in British Columbia or other parts of Canada, despite a significant doctor shortage in this province and elsewhere....

Canadian government creates a new body to prevent immigration fraud

August 26, 2021

It is not uncommon to hear of many foreign workers or students having to pay large sums of money to immigration consultants for the promise of work or permanent residence, only to find out at a later date that they have been lied to. With a number of people from across the globe hoping to settle, visit or work in Canada, the Government is taking meaningful action to root out...

Pacific Immigrant Resources Society wins top place in the Canada Life Literacy Innovation Award

August 25, 2021

By Finance Yahoo ABC Life Literacy Canada is pleased to announce the top and honourable mention winners of the 2021 Canada Life Literacy Innovation Award (LIA). The annual award recognizes organizations that develop and implement innovative adult literacy skills programs in communities across Canada. The LIA top award will be given to Pacific Immigrant Resources Society along with $20,000, which the organization can use towards future programming. In addition to the top winner, four...

Canada Doing What It Can To Bring Thousands of Afghanistan Refugees To Safety

August 23, 2021

Ottawa is pledging to resettle 20,000 Afghan refugees threatened by the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban. “Offering refuge to the world’s most vulnerable speaks to who we are as Canadians, particularly in times of crisis,” said Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino. “As more Afghan refugees continue to seek shelter in Canada, we’re redoubling our efforts to help 20,000 Afghans refugees – who remain vulnerable wherever they go – find safety here. The...

Canada allocates $100 million to support integration of newcomers during pandemic

August 22, 2021

By CIC News Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced $100 million in funding to ensure settlement services for newcomers meet their needs during the pandemic. The funding will be rolled out over the next three years and is aimed at adapting the delivery of settlement services to newcomers so they reflect the pandemic and post-pandemic context. This funding is provided through the Immigration Department’s Service Delivery Improvement (SDI) program, which funds new...

Canada now accepts citizenship applications online

August 20, 2021

By CIC News Canadian permanent residents can now submit applications for citizenship online. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has launched a new online tool that allows citizenship applications to be submitted online. As of August 11, IRCC has opened the online portal to single applicants over the age of 18. It is not open to family applications, nor representatives. Also, it is not open to those who are employed by the crown and living...