Due to the successive crisis in Lebanon, the rate of emigration has increased alarmingly as the Lebanese had no choice but to escape to a safe place that would secure continuity, stability, and peace of mind for themselves and their families.
By November 2020, Lebanese youth’s emigration rate was at an all-time high, with the net migration rate for Lebanon, according to MacroTrends, recording an increase of 47.19% from 2019.
And the wave of emigration has continued to increase since then.
Canada has been among the first countries to welcome Lebanese immigrants throughout the ages and more so in recent times with the rapid collapse of Lebanon.
According to figures from the Canadian Embassy in Beirut, between 200,000 and 400,000 Lebanese live in Canada. And between 2019 and 2021, about 4,395 Lebanese new immigrants joined them.
Over a three-year period, from 2019 to 2021, Canada welcomed 2,285 new permanent residents from Lebanon in the economic category and 2,110 in the family category. Canada also resettled 7,231 refugees from Lebanon during the same period.
In addition, Canada contributes to development assistance to the World Food Program and supports the National Poverty Targeting Program (PNCP), which allows 4,700 Lebanese families to receive a monthly cash allowance to purchase food in the event of food insecurity.
Thus, Canada supports Lebanon’s security and social stability, including projects aimed at reducing tensions between displaced people and stressed host communities.
Canada was also among the first responders to Lebanon’s urgent appeal for aid in the aftermath of the Beirut Blast, pledging a total of $5 million in humanitarian aid.
Canadian educational institutions have also opened opportunities for Lebanese students and scholars, currently offering Scholarships, Fellowships & Grants across Canada.
In turn, the Lebanese in Canada have been active contributors to the local economy as well as in various sectors with their skills and expertise. Many have attained fame in their fields and success in their enterprises and professions.
Among the many notable Lebanese who are making proud both Lebanon and Canada: Hanadi Sleiman, who earned national recognition for her research in the field of DNA; Dr. Antonios El Helou who made the headlines for his Neurosurgery achievement; Rawi Hage, who was awarded by the Writers’ Trust of Canada; the Gabriel brothers who built the largest car dealer in Canada, and the list goes on.
The Lebanese are forced to leave their country, taking away with them their remarkable aptitude for hard work and success that Lebanon could have benefited from.
New numbers reveal the amount of added values that leave Lebanon daily as a result of its multiple crises that have been long neglected by the ruling officials.
