IRCC and ESDC Open Data Field Guide: What Each Canadian Immigration Dataset Actually Counts

Abstract

A free reference guide to 25 Canadian immigration records on the Government of Canada’s Open Government Portal (open.canada.ca): datasets published by IRCC, ESDC, the Immigration and Refugee Board, Statistics Canada and CBSA, and one Canada Gazette record. For each record it states what one row counts, how the dates work, the licence shown on the record, how often it updates, and a figure it is often confused with (for example, permit holders versus arrivals, or LMIA positions versus workers). Quoted definitions are each dataset’s own wording, every entry links to the live record, and no government data is re-hosted. Sources were last checked on 5 November 2026. MAK’s text and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0; the government data stays under the Open Government Licence – Canada.