Controversy and complexity

Canada, high on the list of desirable destinations for many prospective immigrants, has received more than five million immigrants and refugees since the end of World War II. In this comprehensive overview of Canadian immigration policy Gerald Dirks describes the forces and factors that influenced the formulation and administration of immigration policy in the 1980s. After describing the context that prompted the changes enacted in the present Immigration Act, Dirks turns to contemporary immigration: he examines such controversial and complex issues as establishing annual arrivals limits, setting and managing refugee policy, and developing regulatory procedures for handling applicants. Costs and benefits of a universal visa policy, the distinction between refugees and immigrants, the role of the provinces, and the relationship between immigration and demographic issues are considered in depth. Dirks pays particular attention to the structure of the organization that formulated and administered immigration policy during the 1980s. Bringing his study up to the present day, he concludes by focusing on 1993 amendments to the Immigration Act. . Throughout Dirks demonstrates that economic factors, while they had a major impact on immigration policy, have not always been the most important consideration. He convincingly argues that social and political factors, as well as structural, organizational and bureaucratic considerations, have had a pivotal impact on both the content and implementation of policy.