Canada and Immigration is a portrait of Canadian immigration since the end of the Second World War. It is an important record and analysis of immigration policies, laws, and methods of management during this period, as well as an account of the attitudes and beliefs of the politicians and officials who developed and managed this area of public policy. It is the first study to considers all aspects of Canadian immigration and pays as much attention to management and the problems facing immigration managers as it does to immigration policy and policy makers.

With the new introduction, Freda Hawkins brings Critical Years in Immigration up to date by discussing the directions taken by the Canadian and Australian governments since 1984. She also clarifies the implications of the recently announced Canadian immigration levels for 1991-95, discussing the government's reasoning and future plans.