2.1 Permanent Residents In Canada, a permanent resident is “someone who has been given permanent resident status by immigrating to Canada, but is not a Canadian citizen”.32 Permanent residents can enter Canada through economic streams (selected on the basis of potential economic establishment in Canada) and non-economic streams (selected on the basis of family reunification, social and humanitarian objectives).33 Mostly, stateless persons make applications for permanent residency under the non-economic stream. In 2017, Canada admitted a total of 286,485 permanent residents under the different categories of economic and non-economic streams. Between 2016 and 2017, there were 1,735 admissions of stateless persons as permanent residents, mostly from the non-economic classes: protected persons, H&C applications and family class. Immigration streams through which stateless persons most often obtain legal status in Canada are explored below. 2.1.1 Economic Stream Stateless persons can enter Canada through an economic class application, for example, investors program, skilled workers program, provincial nominee, or Canadian experience class. The number of applications made by stateless persons under this stream is small when compared to the overall number of stateless individuals in Canada. In 2017, only 20 stateless persons made applications under the federal skilled worker program (FSWP), with 16 being accepted. Under the Provincial/territorial nominees, 29 individuals submitted applications in 2017, and 21 were accepted. Under the Canadian Experience Class, only eight applications were submitted, and 5 were accepted.34 The overall number of stateless individuals who were granted permanent residency under the FSWP decreased from 74 individuals in 2012, and 136 individuals in 2013, to only 16 by July 2017. While it is difficult to ascertain the reasons behind this decrease, it is possible that requirements for acceptance into economic streams may be too challenging to meet for stateless persons given their lack of access to employment opportunities, education, and health care services in their countries of origin. Abdel and Halifa’s story demonstrates the multilayered complexities of statelessness. Being Palestinian, Abdel’s family is denied citizenship rights in Lebanon, and despite his children being born in Lebanon, they are not entitled to Lebanese citizenship because 32 Government of Canada website: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/new-immigrants/pr- card/understand-pr-status.html. 33 Ibid: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletinsmanuals/permanent-residence.html. 34 IRCC statistics provided to UNHCR: Canada-Admissions of Permanent Residents with Stateless as Country of Citizenship by Immigration Category, 2012-2017. 6