Immigration matters in science and technology
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Because of its internationally recognized quality of life and post-secondary educational institutions, Canada attracts talent from around the world to help build the country’s economy and grow the science and technology sector. With an aging Canadian work force and the need for more technology workers, there’s an opportunity for immigrants to make their mark in the field.
Canada has an opportunity to be a country where the best talent from around the world can move here and do their life’s work as never before.
Alexandra Clark, Chief of Staff to the Chief Executive Officer, Shopify
Impact of immigration
- 34% of people working in scientific research and development services across Canada are foreign-born.
- Nearly 500,000 immigrants working in Canada are trained in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
- Immigrants represent 24% of the national workforce but account for 39% of computer programmers, 41% of engineers and more than 50% of all chemists.
- International students represent 12% of students in the country’s post-secondary education system but account for 27% of all students enrolled in mathematics, computer and information sciences programs and 19% of all students in architecture, engineering and related programs.
- Many international students enrolled in STEM fields will stay and build their careers in Canada, enhancing our capacity for innovation and helping us build a stronger economy for the future.
Unless otherwise noted, all statistics are from the Statistics Canada 2016 Census.

Text version: Percentage of immigrants in STEM occupations
- Computer programmers: 39%
- Physicists and astronomers: 41%
- Engineers: 41%
- Software engineers and designers: 51%
- Chemists: 54%
Source: Statistics Canada, 2016 Census.
See infographic on the impact of immigration on science and technology
Famous Canadian immigrants
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell immigrated to Canada from Scotland in the late 1800s. He’s famously known as the inventor of the telephone.
Robert Wang
Robert Wang immigrated to Canada from China. He invented the Instant Pot, a versatile smart kitchen appliance with a devoted following.
Mike Lazaridis
Mike Lazaridis, of Greek descent, immigrated to Canada from Türkiye. He made a huge impact in the communications sector with his invention of the Blackberry wireless handheld device.
Tobias Lütke
Tobias Lütke immigrated to Canada from Germany and went on to develop Shopify, a multi-channel commerce platform. Headquartered in Ottawa, Shopify currently powers over 800,000 businesses in approximately 175 countries and has processed more than $100 billion in total sales.
Immigrant stories in science and technology

Recruiting global tech talent to support businesses
In response to continuous, rapid growth in the industry, many Canadian tech companies find themselves competing for the same pool of candidates. See how hiring abroad leads to new, experienced talent for companies like Vendasta.

Introducing new farming techniques to Western Canada
Using solar greenhouse technology, a geologist from China is helping Albertan farmers extend their growing season.

Enhancing food and beverage shelf life while leading women in STEM
Interested in the science of food, Natasha Dhayagude co-founded Chinova Bioworks, a startup made up of 90% women in STEM that’s created jobs in Fredericton.

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