Canada is losing the very immigrants it works hardest to recruit. That was the blunt message from the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) as it released its latest “Leaky Bucket” report, warning that the country is bleeding talent even while politicians and the public argue about how many newcomers should be allowed in.Daniel Bernhard, the ICC’s CEO, told reporters that the real problem is not how many immigrants arrive, but how many stay.According to the report, one in five immigrants leave Canada within 25 years, and the people leaving are disproportionately the most educated and most in-demand professionals. .The five year departure rate across all immigrants is about five percent, but among PhDs it is 11%. For health care workers and scientists the rate climbs to 36%. Senior executives and technology workers are also leaving at above average rates.Bernhard said this should not be seen as a victory by those calling for “quality over quantity” in the immigration system.If anything, it proves Canada is failing to keep the very people the system claims to prioritize..He argued that even people who believe immigration levels are too high should care about retention because every immigrant who leaves must be replaced.The report suggests that this trend has been growing quietly over decades but has accelerated in recent years.While immigration is now a top political issue and polling shows many Canadians believe the country has taken in too many people, Bernhard said public sentiment does not change the country’s economic needs..Millions of Canadians remain without family doctors. Tens of thousands die waiting for medical procedures. Canada faces shortages in construction, infrastructure, finance, science and engineering.Bernhard asked who benefits when trained doctors or engineers leave Canada for countries where they can work and advance faster.The ICC press release states the system is good at attracting talent, but weak at keeping it.The report links retention to optimism, income growth, and a sense of belonging. Highly skilled newcomers who fail to see opportunity or fairness are more likely to leave..Those who form strong community ties and feel part of the country are more likely to stay. Income matters too. Among doctorate holders whose earnings stagnate after arriving in Canada, the likelihood of leaving nearly triples.Bernhard criticized Canada’s approach to credential recognition, calling it wasteful and arrogant.He said immigrants are recruited like top candidates in a competitive admissions process, but once they arrive, many are left on their own, unable to work in their field or advance their careers.He pointed out that even English speaking immigrants from wealthy countries struggle to have their experience recognized because employers insist on “Canadian experience.”.He argued this mindset is less about safety or standards and more about a belief that Canadian systems are inherently superior, a belief he called narrow and self defeating.The report recommends a national retention framework that includes modern settlement programs geared toward highly skilled people, licensing reform, and targeted retention efforts in critical fields such as construction, technology and health care. It also calls for better tracking and measurable national goals.Bernhard said Canada needs to start treating immigration as a strategic advantage rather than a charitable act. He compared the country’s approach to hiring a star athlete and then refusing to put them on the field.Canada, he said, should be working to integrate talented newcomers the way a sports team works to support its players. “Canada wins when talented people choose to play for our team,” he said. Right now, too many are choosing to walk off the field.The full Leaky Bucket report is available through the Institute for Canadian Citizenship.
