(Bloomberg) — Canada’s population growth returned to near record growth levels after authorities eased border restrictions, the latest data show.
The number of people living in the country rose by 0.5%, or 190,339, to 38.4 million in the three months ending September 30, Statistics Canada reported Thursday in Ottawa. The gains were driven largely by an influx of new immigrants and foreign students.
That’s the fourth consecutive quarterly gain and reflects a stabilizing flow of international migration after the Canadian government eased most travel restrictions earlier this year for those coming to the country for work, school or family reunification.
New international migration totaled 165,446 in the third quarter — the second highest on record. That included 122,748 immigrations who came to Canada in the three-month period, as well as 60,987 non-permanent residents, mainly new foreign students.
Canada’s population growth hit a five-decade high of 0.6% in the third quarter of 2019.
The country has been relying heavily on international migration as an economic driver. Like other nations, it suffers from an aging population and relatively low fertility rates.
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