Somali Canadians
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| (44,995 (official NHS figure) 150,000 (unofficial estimate)) |
|
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Toronto · Ottawa · Calgary · Edmonton · Vancouver · Winnipeg · Hamilton | |
| Languages | |
| Somali · Arabic · Canadian English · Canadian French | |
| Religion | |
| Islam |
Somali Canadians are residents and citizens of Canada of Somali ancestry.
Most Somalis arrived in Canada between the late 1980s and early 1990s, with some secondary migration from the United States. According to Statistics Canada, there are 44,995 persons of Somali origins in Canada. Of these, 4,315 are recent immigrants and 37,115 live in Somali-speaking households. 16,030 of Somalia-born residents have Canadian citizenship, 1,655 are citizens of Canada and at least one other country, and 5,115 are not Canadian citizens.
As with many other immigrant groups in Canada, Somalis have faced some barriers to employment despite including many qualified professionals. This has been attributed to enclave economies, self-employment, language unfamiliarity, and various public policies and social programs. To address the issue, in 2010 the Canadian government, in coordination with the Somali Canadian Education and Rural Development Organization's Somali Youth Skills Project, set up job-preparation training and work experience programs for local Somali youth. Part of the Canadian government's Youth Employment Strategy, this initiative is intended to help young Somalis facing employment challenges to better access career information, develop skills, gain relevant work experience, find jobs and stay employed. The Canadian Somali Congress also teamed up with local Jewish community organizations in Ottawa and Toronto to offer mentorship opportunities to young Somali university students and professionals. The program spanned two years and took place in various major cities across the country, partnering 130 experienced Jewish-Canadian mentors with 18- to 25-year-old Somali-Canadians.
Following a greatly improved security situation in Somalia in 2012, many Somali residents of Canada have begun returning to Mogadishu and other parts of the country for investment opportunities and to take part in the ongoing post-conflict reconstruction process. Participating in the renovation of schools, hospitals, roads and other infrastructure, they have played a leading role in the capital's recovery and have also helped propel the local real estate market.
According to the 2011 National Household Survey, 44,995 people in Canada reported Somali ancestry. Of those, 37,115 were Somali language speakers and 4,315 were recent immigrants.
Somalis tend to be concentrated in the southern part of the province of Ontario, especially the Ottawa and Toronto areas. The Albertan cities of Calgary and Edmonton have also seen a significant increase in their respective Somali communities over the past few years. The neighbourhood of Rexdale in Toronto has one of the largest Somali populations in the country.
...
Wikipedia