Canada was home to almost 4 million individuals who identified themselves as visible minorities in 2001, accounting for 13.4% of the total population. The proportion of the visible minority population has increased steadily over the past 20 years. In 1981, 1.1 million visible minorities accounted for 4.7% of the total population; by 1996, 3.2 million accounted for 11.2%.

The 2006 Census estimated 5.1 million individuals who belonged to a visible minority. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as 'persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour’. The visible minority population has grown steadily over the last 25 years. In 1981, when data for the four Employment Equity designated groups were first derived, the estimated 1.1 million visible minorities represented 4.7% of Canada's total population. In 1991, 2.5 million people were members of the visible minority population, 9.4% of the total population. The visible minority population further increased to 3.2 million in 1996, or 11.2% of the total population. By 2001, their numbers had reached an estimated 3.9 million or 13.4% of the total population. In 2006, the visible minorities accounted for 16.2% of Canada’s total population. This map shows the percentage of visible minorities (Arab population) by census subdivisions.

Number of people belonging to a visible minority group as defined by the Employment Equity Act and, if so, the visible minority group to which the person belongs. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as 'persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour.' The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Latin American, Arab, Southeast Asian, West Asian, Korean and Japanese.

Number of people belonging to a visible minority group as defined by the Employment Equity Act and, if so, the visible minority group to which the person belongs. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as 'persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour.' The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Latin American, Arab, Southeast Asian, West Asian, Korean and Japanese.

Demographic characteristics of Canada's military and veteran population: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with partsFrequency: OccasionalTable: 98-10-0142-01Release date: 2023-11-15Geography: Canada, Province or territory, Census metropolitan area, Census agglomeration, Census metropolitan area part, Census agglomeration partUniverse: Population aged 17 and over in private households, 2021 Census — 25% Sample dataVariable List: Visible minority (15), Religion (25), Generation status (4), Age (10B), Gender (3), Statistics (3), Military service status (4A)Footnotes: 1 Religion Religion refers to the person's self-identification as having a connection or affiliation with any religious denomination, group, body, or other religiously defined community or system of belief. Religion is not limited to formal membership in a religious organization or group. For infants or children, religion refers to the specific religious group or denomination in which they are being raised, if any. Persons without a religious connection or affiliation can self-identify as atheist, agnostic or humanist, or can provide another applicable response. 2 Generation status Generation status refers to whether or not the person or the person's parents were born in Canada. 3 Age 'Age' refers to the age of a person (or subject) of interest at last birthday (or relative to a specified, well-defined reference date). 4 Gender Gender refers to an individual's personal and social identity as a man, woman or non-binary person (a person who is not exclusively a man or a woman). Gender includes the following concepts: gender identity, which refers to the gender that a person feels internally and individually; gender expression, which refers to the way a person presents their gender, regardless of their gender identity, through body language, aesthetic choices or accessories (e.g., clothes, hairstyle and makeup), which may have traditionally been associated with a specific gender. A person's gender may differ from their sex at birth, and from what is indicated on their current identification or legal documents such as their birth certificate, passport or driver's licence. A person's gender may change over time. Some people may not identify with a specific gender. 5 Given that the non-binary population is small, data aggregation to a two-category gender variable is sometimes necessary to protect the confidentiality of responses provided. In these cases, individuals in the category “non-binary persons” are distributed into the other two gender categories and are denoted by the “+” symbol. 6 Visible minority Visible minority refers to whether a person is a visible minority or not, as defined by the Employment Equity Act. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as persons other than Aboriginal peoples who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour." The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: South Asian Chinese Black Filipino Arab Latin American Southeast Asian West Asian Korean and Japanese." 7 Military service status Military service status refers to whether or not the person is currently serving or has previously served in the Canadian military. Military service status is asked of all Canadians aged 17 and older. For the purposes of the 2021 Census, Canadian military service includes service with the Regular Force or Primary Reserve Force as an Officer or Non-Commissioned Member. It does not include service with the Cadets, Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service (COATS) instructors or the Canadian Rangers. 8 For more information on religion variables, including information on their classifications, the questions from which they are derived, data quality and their comparability with other sources of data, please refer to the Religion Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021. 9 For more information on generation status variables, including information on their classifications, the questions from which they are derived, data quality and their comparability with other sources of data, please refer to the Place of Birth, Generation Status, Citizenship and Immigration Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021. 10 For more information on the military service status variable, including data quality and comparability with other sources of data, please refer to the Canadian Military Experience Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021. 11 Visible minority" refers to whether a person is a visible minority or not as defined by the Employment Equity Act. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as "persons other than Aboriginal peoples who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour." The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: South Asian Chinese Black Filipino Arab Latin American Southeast Asian West Asian Korean and Japanese. In 2021 Census analytical and communications products the term "visible minority" has been replaced by the terms "racialized population" or "racialized groups"12 For more information on visible minority and population group variables, including information on their classifications, the questions from which they are derived, data quality and their comparability with other sources of data, please refer to the Visible Minority and Population Group Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021. 13 In 2021 Census analytical and communications products, the term visible minority" has been replaced by the terms "racialized population" or "racialized groups" reflecting the increased use of these terms in the public sphere." 14 The abbreviation n.i.e." means "not included elsewhere." This category includes persons who provided responses that are classified as a visible minority but that cannot be classified with a specific visible minority group. Such responses include for example "Guyanese Pacific Islander Polynesian Tibetan" and "West Indian."" 15 In 2021 Census analytical and communications products, this category is referred to as the rest of the population.""

In 2021, Canadians who were neither part of a visible minority nor the Indigenous population had an average total income at least 7,600 Canadian dollars higher than these population categories. The visible minorities with the highest average total income that year were people of Chinese, Latin American and Arab origin. Conversely, those with the lowest incomes were other visible minorities and the Native population.

Number of people belonging to a visible minority group as defined by the Employment Equity Act and, if so, the visible minority group to which the person belongs. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as 'persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour.' The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Latin American, Arab, Southeast Asian, West Asian, Korean and Japanese.

Demographic characteristics of Canada's military and veteran population: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with partsFrequency: OccasionalTable: 98-10-0142-01Release date: 2023-11-15Geography: Canada, Province or territory, Census metropolitan area, Census agglomeration, Census metropolitan area part, Census agglomeration partUniverse: Population aged 17 and over in private households, 2021 Census — 25% Sample dataVariable List: Visible minority (15), Religion (25), Generation status (4), Age (10B), Gender (3), Statistics (3), Military service status (4A)Footnotes: 1 Religion Religion refers to the person's self-identification as having a connection or affiliation with any religious denomination, group, body, or other religiously defined community or system of belief. Religion is not limited to formal membership in a religious organization or group. For infants or children, religion refers to the specific religious group or denomination in which they are being raised, if any. Persons without a religious connection or affiliation can self-identify as atheist, agnostic or humanist, or can provide another applicable response. 2 Generation status Generation status refers to whether or not the person or the person's parents were born in Canada. 3 Age 'Age' refers to the age of a person (or subject) of interest at last birthday (or relative to a specified, well-defined reference date). 4 Gender Gender refers to an individual's personal and social identity as a man, woman or non-binary person (a person who is not exclusively a man or a woman). Gender includes the following concepts: gender identity, which refers to the gender that a person feels internally and individually; gender expression, which refers to the way a person presents their gender, regardless of their gender identity, through body language, aesthetic choices or accessories (e.g., clothes, hairstyle and makeup), which may have traditionally been associated with a specific gender. A person's gender may differ from their sex at birth, and from what is indicated on their current identification or legal documents such as their birth certificate, passport or driver's licence. A person's gender may change over time. Some people may not identify with a specific gender. 5 Given that the non-binary population is small, data aggregation to a two-category gender variable is sometimes necessary to protect the confidentiality of responses provided. In these cases, individuals in the category “non-binary persons” are distributed into the other two gender categories and are denoted by the “+” symbol. 6 Visible minority Visible minority refers to whether a person is a visible minority or not, as defined by the Employment Equity Act. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as persons other than Aboriginal peoples who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour." The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: South Asian Chinese Black Filipino Arab Latin American Southeast Asian West Asian Korean and Japanese." 7 Military service status Military service status refers to whether or not the person is currently serving or has previously served in the Canadian military. Military service status is asked of all Canadians aged 17 and older. For the purposes of the 2021 Census, Canadian military service includes service with the Regular Force or Primary Reserve Force as an Officer or Non-Commissioned Member. It does not include service with the Cadets, Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service (COATS) instructors or the Canadian Rangers. 8 For more information on religion variables, including information on their classifications, the questions from which they are derived, data quality and their comparability with other sources of data, please refer to the Religion Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021. 9 For more information on generation status variables, including information on their classifications, the questions from which they are derived, data quality and their comparability with other sources of data, please refer to the Place of Birth, Generation Status, Citizenship and Immigration Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021. 10 Visible minority" refers to whether a person is a visible minority or not as defined by the Employment Equity Act. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as "persons other than Aboriginal peoples who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour." The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: South Asian Chinese Black Filipino Arab Latin American Southeast Asian West Asian Korean and Japanese. In 2021 Census analytical and communications products the term "visible minority" has been replaced by the terms "racialized population" or "racialized groups" reflecting the increased use of these terms in the public sphere."11 For more information on visible minority and population group variables, including information on their classifications, the questions from which they are derived, data quality and their comparability with other sources of data, please refer to the Visible Minority and Population Group Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021. 12 For more information on the military service status variable, including data quality and comparability with other sources of data, please refer to the Canadian Military Experience Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021.

Number of people belonging to a visible minority group as defined by the Employment Equity Act and, if so, the visible minority group to which the person belongs. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as 'persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour.' The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Latin American, Arab, Southeast Asian, West Asian, Korean and Japanese.