Canadian Population Portraits Part 3: Arab populations In Canada

Toronto – September 15, 2026 – In this series, UFCW Canada is sharing recently-released population portraits from Statistics Canada, which examine the experiences and socioeconomic outcomes of racialized population groups in Canada.  Part 3 of this series looks at a portrait of Arab populations in Canada, in terms of diversity and socioeconomic outcomes.

Previous articles in this series include Canadian Population Portraits Part 1: Latin Americans and Canadian Population Portraits Part 2: Diversity of Black Populations in Canada.

In 2026, Statistics Canada released six population portraits based on data collected through the Government of Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy (2024-2028). This portrait series examines the experiences of the following populations in Canada: Black, South Asian, Filipino, Chinese, Latin American, and Arab populations, using disaggregated data.

Why does data matter to unions?

At UFCW Canada, we believed that diversity is our strength. Understanding how different population groups experience barriers in Canada is essential to shaping our collective response to workplace discrimination, at the bargaining table and in advocating for workers’ and human rights.

Understanding the experiences of diverse communities, including Arab populations helps strengthen our collective union approach to advancing equity and defending worker rights.

Addressing racial injustice through a disaggregated data approach supports efforts to combat discrimination workers face on the job and across intersecting identities such as gender, sexual orientation, creed, and age. UFCW Canada will continue to advocate for workers through collective bargaining processes, strong workplace protections, and government advocacy that prioritizes workers' rights.

Population Portrait #3: Arab Populations in Canada

The Statistics Canada profile, Portrait of the Arab Populations in Canada: Diversity and Socioeconomic Outcomes, focuses on the sociodemographic and ethnocultural diversity and socioeconomic outcomes of the Arab populations in Canada.

Key Demographics

• Canada's Arab population grew from about 240,000 in 2001 to 795,665 in 2021, representing 2.2% of the population.
• By 2041, the Arab population is projected to reach 1.4 to 1.9 million people (3.1% to 3.6% of Canada's population).
• About 30% of Arabs in Canada are Canadian born.
• Most foreign-born Arabs came from:
  • Southwest Asia (37.9%): Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Arabian Peninsula
  • Northern Africa (28.1%): Morocco, Egypt, Algeria
• Immigration has been the main driver of growth:
  • Economic immigrants accounted for 51.3% of Arab immigrants admitted since 1980.
  • Refugees became the largest admission group between 2015 and 2020, largely due to Syrian resettlement.
• The population is young:
  • 27% were under age 15 in 2021.
• Arabs reported 253 different ethnic or cultural origins, reflecting substantial diversity.
• Religious composition:
  • 70.1% Muslim
  • 21.2% Christian
  • Arabs represented 31.4% of Canada's Muslim population.

Education and Employment

• Arabs have high educational attainment:
  • 50.7% of those aged 25 to 54 held a bachelor's degree or higher.
  • This compares with 31.5% among the non-racialized, non-Indigenous population.
• Despite strong educational credentials:
  • Employment rates were lower.
  • Unemployment rates were higher.
  • Challenges were particularly pronounced for Arab women.
• Many face barriers related to:
  • Recognition of qualifications
  • Skills utilization
  • Access to jobs matching their education.
• Income outcomes reflect these challenges:
  • Median adjusted family after-tax income was $40,400 in 2020.
  • This was below the national median of $53,600 and lower than that of any other racialized group.

Discrimination

• Nearly 40% of Arabs reported experiencing discrimination during the previous six years.
• Most common forms:
  • Ethnicity or culture: 29.0%
  • Religion: 22.2%
  • Race or colour: 16.6%
  • Language: 14.7%
• 31.6% of Arab Muslims reported religion-based discrimination, compared with 10.1% among other Arabs.
• 13.3% of Arab women reported discrimination based on sex.
• Workplace discrimination was significant:
  • 22.3% experienced discrimination at work or during hiring/promotion processes.
• 17.5% experienced discrimination in public settings such as stores, banks, and restaurants.

Sense of Belonging

• Despite socioeconomic and discrimination-related challenges, Arabs reported a strong sense of belonging.
• They were more likely than the non-racialized, non-Indigenous population to report a strong connection to Canada, their province, their city or town, their local community

Why This Matters

Canada's Arab population is rapidly growing, highly educated, youthful, and diverse. However, many Arab Canadians continue to face employment barriers, lower income outcomes, and discrimination, even while maintaining a strong sense of belonging and attachment to Canada and their communities.

The Disaggregated Data Action Plan aims to address systemic racism and gender inequities. In the context of race-based data, disaggregation means breaking down broad categories, such as “visible minority,” into more specific groups, including Black, Chinese, Arab, and others.

This detailed statistical information helps identify the unique experiences and outcomes of specific population groups across health, social, economic, and environmental indicators. By providing a clearer picture of inequities, disaggregated data can support the development of more effective and equitable programs, policies, and services and measure our progress.