# Demographics of British Columbia

British Columbia is a Canadian province with a population of about 5.7 million people. The province represents about 13.2% of the Canadian population. Most of the population is between the ages of 15 and 49. About 60 percent of British Columbians have European descent with significant Asian and Aboriginal minorities. Just under 30% of British Columbians are immigrants. Over half of the population is irreligious, with Christianity and Sikhism being the most followed religions.

## Vital statistics

2020
Birth rate: 8.3 births per 1,000 (2021) (Canadian average = 9.9)
Death rate: 8.3 deaths per 1,000 (2021) (Canadian average = 8.3)
Infant mortality rate: 4.0 deaths per 1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: 82.4 years
Total fertility rate: 1.17 children born per woman (Canadian average = 1.40)

## Age structure

| | Males | Males | Females | Females |
| Age group | Number | Percent | Number | Percent |
| 0–4 | 111,015 | 2.22% | 105,805 | 2.12% |
| 5–9 | 125,810 | 2.52% | 118,485 | 2.37% |
| 10–14 | 132,425 | 2.65% | 123,365 | 2.47% |
| 15–19 | 131,245 | 2.62% | 122,445 | 2.45% |
| 20–24 | 151,505 | 3.03% | 143,145 | 2.86% |
| 25–29 | 170,500 | 3.41% | 166,585 | 3.33% |
| 30–34 | 178,925 | 3.58% | 179,660 | 3.59% |
| 35–39 | 175,175 | 3.5% | 178,175 | 3.56% |
| 40–44 | 156,480 | 3.13% | 163,260 | 3.26% |
| 45–49 | 149,520 | 2.99% | 160,515 | 3.21% |
| 50–54 | 158,540 | 3.17% | 170,460 | 3.41% |
| 55–59 | 172,520 | 3.45% | 183,825 | 3.68% |
| 60–64 | 170,210 | 3.40% | 184,920 | 3.7% |
| 65–69 | 152,705 | 3.05% | 166,700 | 3.33% |
| 70–74 | 130,370 | 2.61% | 141,995 | 2.84% |
| 75–79 | 86,060 | 1.72% | 95,015 | 1.9% |
| 80–84 | 55,285 | 1.11% | 65,780 | 1.32% |
| 85-89 | 32,315 | 0.65% | 42,005 | 0.84% |
| 90-94 | 13,715 | 0.27% | 23,120 | 0.46% |
| 95-99 | 2,865 | 0.06% | 6,925 | 0.14% |
| 100+ | 330 | <0.01% | 1,185 | 0.02% |
| Totals | 2,457,515 | 49.14% | 2,543,365 | 50.86% |
| Source: 2021 Census of Population |||||

## Population history

| Year | Population | Five year % change | Ten year % change | Rank among provinces |
| 1851 | 55,000 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| 1861 | 51,524 | n/a | −6.3 | n/a |
| 1871 | 36,247 | n/a | −29.7 | 7 |
| 1881 | 49,459 | n/a | 36.4 | 8 |
| 1891 | 98,173 | n/a | 98.5 | 8 |
| 1901 | 178,657 | n/a | 82.0 | 6 |
| 1911 | 392,480 | n/a | 119.7 | 6 |
| 1921 | 524,582 | n/a | 33.7 | 6 |
| 1931 | 694,263 | n/a | 32.3 | 6 |
| 1941 | 817,861 | n/a | 17.8 | 4 |
| 1951 | 1,165,210 | n/a | 42.5 | 3 |
| 1956 | 1,398,464 | 20.0 | n/a | 3 |
| 1961 | 1,629,082 | 16.5 | 39.8 | 3 |
| 1966 | 1,873,674 | 15.0 | 34.0 | 3 |
| 1971 | 2,184,620 | 16.6 | 34.1 | 3 |
| 1976 | 2,466,610 | 12.9 | 31.6 | 3 |
| 1981 | 2,744,467 | 11.3 | 25.6 | 3 |
| 1986 | 2,883,370 | 5.1 | 16.9 | 3 |
| 1991 | 3,282,061 | 13.8 | 19.6 | 3 |
| 1996 | 3,724,500 | 13.5 | 29.2 | 3 |
| 2001 | 3,907,738 | 4.9 | 19.1 | 3 |
| 2006 | 4,113,487 | 5.4 | 10.4 | 3 |
| 2011 | 4,400,057 | 7.0 | 12.6 | 3 |
| 2016 | 4,648,055 | 5.6 | 13.0 | 3 |
| 2021 | 5,000,879 | 7.6 | 13.7 | 3 |
    Source: Statistics Canada

## Ethnic origins

First-generation immigrants from the British Isles remain a strong component of local society despite the end of special immigration status for British subjects in the 1960s. Also present in large numbers relative to other Canadian cities (except Toronto) is a diverse background of European ethnicities, with many first- and second-generation immigrants, notably Germans, Ukrainians, Scandinavians, Yugoslavs and Italians. Third-generation Europeans are generally of mixed lineage, traditionally intermarrying with other ethnic groups more than in any other Canadian province.
In recent decades, the proportion of people with Chinese and Indian ethnicity has risen sharply, specifically in the Lower Mainland. This has led to an extremely diverse population compared to many other provinces, especially the neighbouring prairie provinces.
Note: The following statistics represent both single (e.g., "German") and multiple (e.g., "part Chinese, part English") responses to the 2006 and 2016 Census, and thus add up to more than 100%.
Ethnic groups in British Columbia (2006–2016) :
| Ethnic group | 2016 | 2016 | 2006 | 2006 |
| Ethnic group | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| English | 1,203,540 | 26.39% | 1,207,245 | 29.63% |
| Canadian | 866,530 | 19% | 720,200 | 17.67% |
| Scottish | 860,775 | 18.88% | 828,145 | 20.32% |
| Irish | 675,135 | 14.80% | 618,120 | 15.17% |
| German | 603,265 | 13.23% | 561,570 | 13.78% |
| Chinese | 540,155 | 11.84% | 432,435 | 10.60% |
| French | 388,815 | 8.53% | 361,215 | 8.86% |
| Indian | 309,315 | 6.78% | 232,370 | 5.70% |
| Ukrainian | 229,205 | 5.03% | 197,265 | 4.84% |
| Indigenous peoples of North America | 220,245 | 4.83% | 193,060 | 4.74% |
| Dutch (Netherlands) | 213,670 | 4.69% | 196,420 | 4.82% |
| Italian | 166,095 | 3.64% | 143,155 | 3.51% |
| Polish | 149,635 | 3.28% | 128,360 | 3.15% |
| Norwegian | 138,430 | 3.04% | 129,420 | 3.18% |
| Russian | 131,060 | 2.87% | 114,105 | 2.80% |
| Welsh | 113,905 | 2.5% | 104,275 | 2.56% |
| Swedish | 110,030 | 2.41% | 104,025 | 2.55% |
| Filipino | 158,215 | 3.47% | 94,255 | 2.3% |
| Métis | 90,515 | 1.98% | 62,570 | 1.5% |
| American (USA) | 78,170 | 1.71% | 66,765 | 1.6% |
| Spanish | 64,470 | 1.41% | 52,640 | 1.3% |
| Korean | 63,300 | 1.39% | 51,860 | 1.3% |
| Danish | 58,205 | 1.28% | 56,125 | 1.4% |
| Hungarian (Magyar) | 56,535 | 1.24% | 49,870 | 1.2% |
| Japanese | 51,150 | 1.12% | 41,585 | 1.0% |
| Austrian | 48,510 | 1.06% | 46,620 | 1.1% |
| Iranian | 47,985 | 1.05% | 29,265 | 0.7% |
| Portuguese | 41,770 | 0.92% | 34,660 | 0.9% |
| Vietnamese | 41,435 | 0.91% | 30,835 | 0.8% |
| Punjabi | 38,725 | 0.85% | 18,525 | 0.5% |
| Finnish | 34,150 | 0.75% | 29,875 | 0.7% |
| Swiss | 31,390 | 0.69% | 28,240 | 0.7% |
| Romanian | 31,250 | 0.69% | 25,670 | 0.6% |
| Icelandic | 26,410 | 0.58% | 22,110 | 0.5% |
| Greek | 24,460 | 0.54% | 21,770 | 0.5% |
| Croatian | 23,845 | 0.52% | 18,815 | 0.5% |
| Czech | 23,375 | 0.51% | 21,150 | 0.5% |
| Belgian | 19,980 | 0.44% | 17,510 | 0.4% |
| Jewish | 17,580 | 0.39% | 30,830 | 0.8% |

### Projections

Pan−ethnic origin projections (2031–2041) :
| | 2031 | 2031 | 2036 | 2036 | 2041 | 2041 |
| | Population | % | Population | % | Population | % |
| European | 3,145,000 | 51.46% | 3,112,000 | 48.23% | 3,060,000 | 45.37% |
| East Asian | 977,000 | 15.99% | 1,072,000 | 16.61% | 1,160,000 | 17.2% |
| Chinese | 789,000 | 12.91% | 861,000 | 13.34% | 927,000 | 13.75% |
| Korean | 125,000 | 2.05% | 143,000 | 2.22% | 161,000 | 2.39% |
| Japanese | 63,000 | 1.03% | 68,000 | 1.05% | 72,000 | 1.07% |
| South Asian | 748,000 | 12.24% | 860,000 | 13.33% | 958,000 | 14.21% |
| Indigenous | 399,000 | 6.53% | 429,000 | 6.65% | 456,000 | 6.76% |
| First Nations | 246,000 | 4.03% | 262,000 | 4.06% | 278,000 | 4.12% |
| Metis | 142,000 | 2.32% | 155,000 | 2.4% | 166,000 | 2.46% |
| Inuit | 2,000 | 0.03% | 2,000 | 0.03% | 3,000 | 0.04% |
| Other Indigenous | 9,000 | 0.15% | 10,000 | 0.15% | 10,000 | 0.15% |
| Southeast Asian | 366,000 | 5.99% | 421,000 | 6.52% | 475,000 | 7.04% |
| Filipino | 277,000 | 4.53% | 323,000 | 5.01% | 369,000 | 5.47% |
| Other Southeast Asian | 89,000 | 1.46% | 98,000 | 1.52% | 106,000 | 1.57% |
| Middle Eastern | 169,000 | 2.77% | 199,000 | 3.08% | 227,000 | 3.37% |
| Arab | 55,000 | 0.9% | 65,000 | 1.01% | 74,000 | 1.1% |
| West Asian | 114,000 | 1.87% | 134,000 | 2.08% | 153,000 | 2.27% |
| Latin American | 108,000 | 1.77% | 124,000 | 1.92% | 139,000 | 2.06% |
| African | 101,000 | 1.65% | 118,000 | 1.83% | 134,000 | 1.99% |
| Other | 99,000 | 1.62% | 117,000 | 1.81% | 135,000 | 2% |
| Projected British Columbia population | 6,111,000 | 100% | 6,453,000 | 100% | 6,744,000 | 100% |

### Indo-Canadians
## Visible minorities and Indigenous peoples

    Note: Statistics Canada defines visible minorities as defined in the Employment Equity Act which defines visible minorities as "persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour".
* European Canadian (59.7%)
* Visible minority (34.4%)
* Indigenous (5.9%)
Visible minority and Indigenous population (2021 Canadian census) :
| Population group | Population group | Population | % |
| European | European | 2,936,245 | 59.7% |
| Visible minority group | South Asian | 473,965 | 9.6% |
| Visible minority group | Chinese | 550,590 | 11.2% |
| Visible minority group | Black | 61,760 | 1.3% |
| Visible minority group | Filipino | 174,280 | 3.5% |
| Visible minority group | Arab | 28,010 | 0.6% |
| Visible minority group | Latin American | 65,970 | 1.3% |
| Visible minority group | Southeast Asian | 71,785 | 1.5% |
| Visible minority group | West Asian | 69,270 | 1.4% |
| Visible minority group | Korean | 72,815 | 1.5% |
| Visible minority group | Japanese | 44,120 | 0.9% |
| Visible minority group | Visible minority, n.i.e. | 18,080 | 0.4% |
| Visible minority group | Multiple visible minorities | 58,840 | 1.2% |
| Total visible minority population | Total visible minority population | 1,689,490 | 34.4% |
| Indigenous group | First Nations (North American Indian) | 180,085 | 3.7% |
| Indigenous group | Métis | 97,860 | 2.0% |
| Indigenous group | Inuk (Inuit) | 1,720 | 0.0% |
| Indigenous group | Multiple Indigenous responses | 5,980 | 0.1% |
| Indigenous group | Indigenous responses n.i.e. | 4,560 | 0.1% |
| Total Indigenous population | Total Indigenous population | 290,210 | 5.9% |
| Total population | Total population | 4,915,945 | 100.0% |

## Languages
### Knowledge of languages

Knowledge of official languages of Canada in British Columbia (2016) :
| Language | Language | Percent | Percent |
| English only | English only | 89.77% | 89.77% |
| French only | French only | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| English and French | English and French | 6.85% | 6.85% |
| Neither English nor French | Neither English nor French | 3.35% | 3.35% |
The question on knowledge of languages allows for multiple responses. The following figures are from the 2021 Canadian Census and the 2016 Canadian Census, and lists languages that were selected by at least one per cent of respondents.
Knowledge of languages in British Columbia :
| Language | 2021 | 2021 | 2016 | 2016 |
| Language | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| English | 4,753,280 | 96.69% | 4,560,235 | 96.60% |
| French | 327,350 | 6.66% | 314,225 | 6.89% |
| Punjabi | 315,000 | 6.41% | 244,485 | 5.36% |
| Mandarin | 312,625 | 6.36% | 265,635 | 5.83% |
| Cantonese | 246,045 | 5.01% | 234,445 | 5.14% |
| Spanish | 143,900 | 2.93% | 115,115 | 2.52% |
| Hindi | 134,950 | 2.75% | 81,330 | 1.78% |
| Tagalog | 133,780 | 2.72% | 113,265 | 2.48% |
| German | 84,325 | 1.72% | 95,005 | 2.08% |
| Korean | 69,935 | 1.42% | 57,490 | 1.26% |
| Iranian Persian | 61,525 | 1.25% | 49,835 | 1.09% |

### Mother tongue

Figures shown are for the number of single language responses and the percentage of total single-language responses. Numerous other languages were also counted, but only languages with more than 2,000 native speakers are shown.
| Language | 2016 Census | % | 2006 Census | % |
| English | 3,170,110 | 70.5% | 2,875,770 | 71.5% |
| Punjabi | 198,805 | 4.4% | 158,750 | 3.9% |
| Cantonese | 193,530 | 4.3% | 131,245 | 3.3% |
| Mandarin | 186,325 | 4.1% | 72,160 | 1.8% |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | 78,770 | 1.8% | 50,425 | 1.3% |
| German | 66,885 | 1.5% | 86,690 | 2.2% |
| French | 55,325 | 1.2% | 54,745 | 1.4% |
| Korean | 52,160 | 1.2% | 46,500 | 1.2% |
| Spanish | 47,010 | 1.0% | 34,075 | 0.9% |
| Persian | 43,470 | 1.0% | 28,150 | 0.7% |
| Vietnamese | 27,150 | 0.6% | 24,560 | 0.7% |
| Hindi | 26,720 | 0.6% | 23,240 | 0.6% |
| Russian | 25,955 | 0.6% | 19,320 | 0.5% |
| Italian | 22,680 | 0.5% | 27,020 | 0.7% |
| Japanese | 21,350 | 0.5% | 20,040 | 0.5% |
| Dutch | 21,020 | 0.5% | 26,355 | 0.7% |
| Arabic | 17,480 | 0.4% | 8,440 | 0.2% |
| Portuguese | 17,450 | 0.4% | 14,385 | 0.4% |
| Polish | 16,910 | 0.4% | 17,565 | 0.4% |
| Chinese, n.o.s. | 10,050 | 0.2% | 132,755 | 3.2% |
| Urdu | 9,885 | 0.2% | 7,025 | 0.2% |
| Hungarian | 9,025 | 0.2% | 10,670 | 0.3% |
| Romanian | 8,730 | 0.2% | 6,335 | 0.2% |
| Ukrainian | 8,630 | 0.2% | 12,285 | 0.3% |
| Croatian | 7,475 | 0.2% | 8,505 | 0.2% |
| Serbian | 7,045 | 0.2% | 6,180 | 0.2% |
| Gujarati | 6,895 | 0.2% | 6,565 | 0.2% |
| Greek | 6,115 | 0.1% | 6,620 | 0.2% |
| Czech | 5,920 | 0.1% | 6,000 | 0.1% |
| Ilocano | 5,240 | 0.1% | 3,100 | 0.1% |
| Danish | 4,665 | 0.1% | 6,720 | 0.2% |
| Malay | 3,895 | 0.1% | 3,100 | 0.1% |
| Finnish | 3,760 | 0.1% | 4,770 | 0.1% |
| Tamil | 3,615 | 0.1% | 3,200 | 0.1% |
| Slovak | 3,400 | 0.1% | 3,490 | 0.1% |
| Turkish | 3,145 | 0.1% | 2,255 | 0.1% |
| Swedish | 2,520 | 0.1% | 2,875 | 0.1% |
| Athabaskan languages | 2,310 | 0.1% | 3,500 | 0.1% |
| Salish languages | 2,270 | 0.1% | 3,190 | 0.1% |
| Norwegian | 2,005 | 0.1% | 3,275 | 0.1% |
| Source: Statistics Canada 2006 & 2016 Census |||||

## Religion

* Irreligious (52.2%)
* Christian (34.4%)
* Sikh (5.9%)
* Muslim (2.6%)
* Buddhist (1.7%)
* Hindu (1.7%)
* Jewish (0.5%)
* Other (1%)
The largest denominations by number of adherents according to the 2021 census were Irreligion (atheist, agnostic, and so on.) with 2,559,250 (52.2%); Christianity with 1,684,870 (34.4%); Sikhism with 290,870 (5.9%); Islam with 125,915 (2.6%); Buddhism with 83,860 (1.7%); and Hinduism with 81,320 (1.7%).
Religious groups in British Columbia (1981–2021) :
| Religious group | 2021 | 2021 | 2011 | 2011 | 2001 | 2001 | 1991 | 1991 | 1981 | 1981 |
| Religious group | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| Irreligion | 2,559,250 | 52.06% | 1,908,285 | 44.13% | 1,388,300 | 35.88% | 987,990 | 30.42% | 568,170 | 20.94% |
| Christianity | 1,684,870 | 34.27% | 1,930,415 | 44.64% | 2,124,605 | 54.92% | 2,073,095 | 63.84% | 2,048,000 | 75.47% |
| Sikhism | 290,870 | 5.92% | 201,110 | 4.65% | 135,310 | 3.5% | 74,545 | 2.3% | 40,940 | 1.51% |
| Islam | 125,915 | 2.56% | 79,310 | 1.83% | 56,220 | 1.45% | 24,925 | 0.77% | 12,715 | 0.47% |
| Buddhism | 83,860 | 1.71% | 90,620 | 2.1% | 85,540 | 2.21% | 36,430 | 1.12% | 11,190 | 0.41% |
| Hinduism | 81,320 | 1.65% | 45,795 | 1.06% | 31,495 | 0.81% | 18,140 | 0.56% | 8,980 | 0.33% |
| Judaism | 26,850 | 0.55% | 23,130 | 0.53% | 21,230 | 0.55% | 16,565 | 0.51% | 14,685 | 0.54% |
| Indigenous spirituality | 11,570 | 0.24% | 10,295 | 0.24% | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Other | 51,440 | 1.05% | 35,500 | 0.82% | 26,180 | 0.68% | 15,825 | 0.49% | 5,940 | 0.22% |
| Total responses | 4,915,945 | 98.3% | 4,324,455 | 98.28% | 3,868,875 | 99.01% | 3,247,505 | 98.95% | 2,713,615 | 98.88% |
| Total population | 5,000,879 | 100% | 4,400,057 | 100% | 3,907,738 | 100% | 3,282,061 | 100% | 2,744,467 | 100% |

## Migration
### Immigration

British Columbia immigration$^{:239}$$^{:108}$ :
| Year | Immigrant percentage | Immigrant population | Total population |
| 1881 | 27.8% | 13,751 | 49,459 |
| 1891 | 42% | 41,210 | 98,173 |
| 1901 | 44.2% | 79,045 | 178,657 |
| 1911 | 59.4% | 233,158 | 392,480 |
| 1921 | 49.7% | 260,536 | 524,582 |
| 1931 | 46% | 319,529 | 694,263 |
| 1941 | 37.3% | 304,729 | 817,861 |
| 1951 | 29.1% | 339,197 | 1,165,210 |
| 1961 | 26% | 423,132 | 1,629,082 |
| 1971 | 22.7% | 496,660 | 2,184,620 |
The 2021 census reported that immigrants (individuals born outside Canada) comprise 1,425,715 persons or 29.0 percent of the total population of British Columbia.
Immigrants in British Columbia by country of birth :
| Country of birth | 2021 | 2021 | 2016 | 2016 | 2011 | 2011 | 2006 | 2006 | 2001 | 2001 | 1921$^{:314–315}$ | 1921$^{:314–315}$ |
| Country of birth | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| China | 217,975 | 15.3% | 199,990 | 15.5% | 167,530 | 14.1% | 145,315 | 13% | 107,450 | 10.6% | 21,523 | 8.3% |
| India | 197,115 | 13.8% | 162,645 | 12.6% | 143,340 | 12% | 119,265 | 10.7% | 92,430 | 9.2% | 1,841 | 0.7% |
| Philippines | 131,645 | 9.2% | 112,100 | 8.7% | 96,560 | 8.1% | 69,200 | 6.2% | 51,130 | 5.1% | — | — |
| United Kingdom | 116,530 | 8.2% | 123,810 | 9.6% | 130,730 | 11% | 137,460 | 12.3% | 141,370 | 14% | 142,968 | 54.9% |
| Hong Kong | 78,855 | 5.5% | 74,210 | 5.7% | 74,635 | 6.3% | 78,060 | 7% | 88,720 | 8.8% | — | — |
| United States | 59,920 | 4.2% | 57,780 | 4.5% | 57,975 | 4.9% | 56,560 | 5.1% | 54,410 | 5.4% | 34,926 | 13.4% |
| South Korea | 47,520 | 3.3% | 41,515 | 3.2% | 37,730 | 3.2% | 34,395 | 3.1% | 22,635 | 2.2% | — | — |
| Iran | 45,975 | 3.2% | 37,160 | 2.9% | 30,050 | 2.5% | 22,755 | 2% | 18,450 | 1.8% | — | — |
| Taiwan | 40,445 | 2.8% | 38,900 | 3% | 42,045 | 3.5% | 42,195 | 3.8% | 44,940 | 4.5% | — | — |
| Vietnam | 32,390 | 2.3% | 27,875 | 2.2% | 25,845 | 2.2% | 26,375 | 2.4% | 25,675 | 2.5% | — | — |
| Germany | 30,910 | 2.2% | 35,050 | 2.7% | 35,100 | 2.9% | 40,695 | 3.6% | 41,260 | 4.1% | 2,952 | 1.1% |
| Netherlands | 16,070 | 1.1% | 18,225 | 1.4% | 20,645 | 1.7% | 23,130 | 2.1% | 24,055 | 2.4% | 515 | 0.2% |
| South Africa | 15,380 | 1.1% | 13,380 | 1% | 12,815 | 1.1% | 12,090 | 1.1% | 11,015 | 1.1% | 573 | 0.2% |
| Japan | 14,940 | 1% | 13,360 | 1% | 12,355 | 1% | 10,945 | 1% | 9,090 | 0.9% | 10,934 | 4.2% |
| Poland | 14,305 | 1% | 15,115 | 1.2% | 14,620 | 1.2% | 16,165 | 1.4% | 17,090 | 1.7% | 874 | 0.3% |
| Italy | 13,410 | 0.9% | 15,405 | 1.2% | 15,980 | 1.3% | 19,215 | 1.7% | 20,200 | 2% | 4,847 | 1.9% |
| Mexico | 13,385 | 0.9% | 10,375 | 0.8% | 8,775 | 0.7% | 6,385 | 0.6% | 5,135 | 0.5% | — | — |
| Pakistan | 13,345 | 0.9% | 10,665 | 0.8% | 8,570 | 0.7% | 8,195 | 0.7% | 5,475 | 0.5% | — | — |
| Russia | 12,170 | 0.9% | 10,915 | 0.8% | 8,795 | 0.7% | 8,375 | 0.7% | 6,285 | 0.6% | 4,354 | 1.7% |
| Ukraine | 9,450 | 0.7% | 7,505 | 0.6% | 7,060 | 0.6% | 6,565 | 0.6% | 5,605 | 0.6% | 6,157 | 2.4% |
| Romania | 9,370 | 0.7% | 9,000 | 0.7% | 8,005 | 0.7% | 7,360 | 0.7% | 6,135 | 0.6% | 306 | 0.1% |
| Malaysia | 8,845 | 0.6% | 8,435 | 0.7% | 8,310 | 0.7% | 8,290 | 0.7% | 7,695 | 0.8% | — | — |
| Brazil | 8,765 | 0.6% | 3,800 | 0.3% | 2,875 | 0.2% | 2,055 | 0.2% | 1,640 | 0.2% | — | — |
| Portugal | 7,785 | 0.5% | 8,215 | 0.6% | 8,135 | 0.7% | 9,365 | 0.8% | 9,980 | 1% | — | — |
| Ireland | 7,360 | 0.5% | 5,885 | 0.5% | 5,175 | 0.4% | 4,195 | 0.4% | 4,715 | 0.5% | 10,823 | 4.2% |
| France | 7,025 | 0.5% | 5,705 | 0.4% | 5,340 | 0.4% | 4,760 | 0.4% | 4,445 | 0.4% | 1,389 | 0.5% |
| Iraq | 7,000 | 0.5% | 5,550 | 0.4% | 3,430 | 0.3% | 2,230 | 0.2% | 1,540 | 0.2% | — | — |
| Syria | 6,540 | 0.5% | 2,845 | 0.2% | 725 | 0.1% | 585 | 0.1% | 385 | 0% | 107 | 0% |
| Afghanistan | 6,250 | 0.4% | 5,040 | 0.4% | 3,520 | 0.3% | 3,615 | 0.3% | 2,275 | 0.2% | — | — |
| El Salvador | 5,775 | 0.4% | 5,425 | 0.4% | 5,635 | 0.5% | 4,990 | 0.4% | 5,100 | 0.5% | — | — |
| Total immigrants | 1,425,715 | 29% | 1,292,675 | 28.3% | 1,191,875 | 27.6% | 1,119,215 | 27.5% | 1,009,815 | 26.1% | 260,536 | 49.7% |
| Total responses | 4,915,945 | 98.3% | 4,560,240 | 98.1% | 4,324,455 | 98.3% | 4,074,385 | 99% | 3,868,875 | 99% | 524,582 | 100% |
| Total population | 5,000,879 | 100% | 4,648,055 | 100% | 4,400,057 | 100% | 4,113,487 | 100% | 3,907,738 | 100% | 524,582 | 100% |

### Recent immigration

A large number of immigrants have lived in British Columbia for 30 years or less.
The 2021 Canadian census counted a total of 197,420 people who immigrated to British Columbia between 2016 and 2021.
Recent immigrants to British Columbia by country of birth (2016 to 2021) :
| Country of birth | Population | % recent immigrants |
| India | 39,390 | 20% |
| China | 31,445 | 15.9% |
| Philippines | 21,225 | 10.8% |
| United States | 8,760 | 4.4% |
| United Kingdom | 7,670 | 3.9% |
| South Korea | 7,225 | 3.7% |
| Iran | 5,850 | 3% |
| Brazil | 5,125 | 2.6% |
| Syria | 4,955 | 2.5% |
| Australia | 3,280 | 1.7% |
| Total | 197,420 | 100% |

### Interprovincial migration

British Columbia has also traditionally been gaining from interprovincial migration. Over the last 50 years, British Columbia had 12 years of negative interprovincial immigration: the lowest in the country. The only time the province significantly lost population to this phenomenon was during the 1990s, when it had a negative interprovincial migration for 5 consecutive years.
Interprovincial migration in British Columbia :
| | In-migrants | Out-migrants | Net migration |
| 2009–2010 | 49,469 | 40,741 | 8,728 |
| 2010–2011 | 47,854 | 44,433 | 3,421 |
| 2011–2012 | 48,593 | 51,304 | −2,711 |
| 2012–2013 | 43,830 | 45,698 | −1,868 |
| 2013–2014 | 52,281 | 42,806 | 9,475 |
| 2014–2015 | 61,026 | 40,647 | 20,379 |
| 2015–2016 | 63,788 | 37,215 | 26,573 |
| 2016–2017 | 57,210 | 38,376 | 18,834 |
| 2017–2018 | 55,300 | 41,311 | 13,989 |
| 2018–2019 | 55,612 | 49,501 | 6,111 |
| 2019–2020 | 71,180 | 61,122 | 10,058 |
Source: Statistics Canada