Return and Onwards Migration among Older Canadians: Findings from the 2001 Census

Using the 2001 Public Use Microdata Files from Statistics Canada, this paper analyses fixed interval return (migrations returning an individual to a previous place of residence) and onward (migrations to a subsequent destination) migration among Canada’s older population (aged 60 and over) over the 1996-2000-2001 period. The article examines the incidence, composition, spatial patterning, and determinants of these chronic migrations. Analysis reveals a migration system that is largely complementary to that observed within the broader population, although onward migration is relatively unimportant for this group, and the motivations and characteristics vary by age group amongst older migrants.