According to the 2021 census, over 450 mother tongues were reported in Canada. This report indicates that newcomers contribute significantly to linguistic diversity in the country.
In 2021, 69.4% of recent immigrants reportedly did not have English or French as their mother tongue. The mother tongue is the first language they learned in childhood that is still understood.
In this context, languages apart from English and French are known as non-official languages. Become A Canadian reported that languages like Arabic (10.3%), Tagalog (8.4%), Mandarin (7.9%) and Punjabi (6.5%) were the major non-official languages spoken in Canada. In other words, these languages are reported most often as mother tongues by recent immigrants. The immigrants reported the languages as their mother tongue alone or with another language.
The Makeup of Immigrants in Canada
Generally, immigrants in Canada come from different countries. Due to this factor, they bring into the country their ethnic, linguistic, cultural and religious heritage.
Before now, most immigrants in Canada were from Europe. Over the past 50 years, however, the proportion of newcomers from Europe has declined. On the other hand, the share of newcomers born in Asia, including the Middle East, has been on the rise.
Become A Canadian reported that Asia has become the number one source region of new immigrants in Canada. Also, the share of African newcomers has increased over time.
Canada - A Beloved New Home for Many
Truly, Canada has a long history of immigration. As a result of the country’s diversity and accommodation for immigrants, millions of people all over the world have chosen and will continue to choose Canada as their new home.
