People Leaving Northwest Territories: Net Emigration Trends from 1972 to 2024

Emigration in Canada refers to people who leave the country to live abroad, either permanently or for an extended period. While Canada is known for welcoming immigrants, it also sees thousands of residents moving away each year for reasons such as job opportunities, family, retirement, or lifestyle changes.

Tracking net emigration—the difference between people leaving and returning—helps show how Canada’s population is changing over time. This data is important for understanding migration patterns and planning for the country’s future needs.

How Net Emigration Is Calculated in Canada

Net emigration is calculated by subtracting the number of returning emigrants from the number of people who leave Canada (emigrants). For the period from 1991 to June 2016, the calculation includes temporary emigration as well: emigrants plus net temporary emigration, minus returning emigrants.

Number of People Leaving Northwest Territories per Quarter

Year	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Total
1992	10	8	20	10	48
1993	16	13	9	6	44
1994	4	5	12	9	30
1995	4	6	20	12	42
1996	8	10	13	10	41
1997	7	8	20	12	47
1998	9	9	19	14	51
1999	8	10	11	6	35
2000	6	6	15	9	36
2001	6	7	14	9	36
2002	7	7	15	9	38
2003	8	8	24	19	59
2004	17	22	17	12	68
2005	11	14	20	14	59
2006	13	13	23	17	66
2007	16	15	33	20	84
2008	17	23	27	17	84
2009	14	17	8	6	45
2010	6	6	21	15	48
2011	15	15	16	16	62
2012	14	11	17	10	52
2013	10	9	7	10	36
2014	9	8	12	8	37
2015	8	8	13	11	40
2016	9	11	9	11	40
2017	5	4	7	2	18
2018	3	–	-5	-3	-5
2019	-2	-4	2	2	-2
2020	2	–	-9	-3	-10
2021	-2	-2	10	6	12
2022	7	7	12	8	34
2023	10	8	13	8	39
2024	11	8	14	8	41

Data Source:

Source Name:	Statistics Canada. Table 17-10-0040-01 Estimates of the components of international migration, quarterly
Source Link:	https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/cv.action?pid=1710004001
Release Date:	2025-03-19