London's Hidden Superpower: How We're Turning Temporary Visitors Into Permanent Community Champions

London has quietly developed a superpower: we're turning temporary visitors into permanent community champions at rates that surprise even immigration experts.

The Great Reversal

Our latest Matter of Facts report shows a surprising trend happening in our city. For years, immigrants who came to London without previous Canadian experience were more likely to stay than those who had lived here temporarily first. But 2020 changed everything.

The numbers tell a compelling story. In 2020, immigrants with pre-admission experience, people who had been international students, temporary workers, or had other connections to Canada before becoming permanent residents, stayed in London at a rate of 75%. Those without this previous experience? Just 68%.

This represents a complete flip from earlier patterns. In 2014 and 2016, newcomers without Canadian experience had retention rates about 6% higher than those with temporary status first.

Who's Choosing to Stay?

The people driving this change are the international students studying at Western University and Fanshawe College who decide to build careers here after graduation. They're the temporary workers who arrived to fill essential roles in our hospitals, tech companies, and manufacturing plants, then put down roots. They're also the government-assisted refugees who continue to show the highest retention rates of any group at 83%; nearly 20 percentage points higher than privately sponsored refugees.

What connects all these groups is that they experienced London before making it their permanent home. They had time to build friendships, understand our community, and see the opportunities here. When the chance came to stay permanently, they chose London.

This trend reflects national policy changes too. Programs like the Post-Graduation Work Permit now give international students up to three years to gain Canadian work experience. The Canadian Experience Class prioritises people who've already worked here. These pathways create natural bridges from temporary to permanent status, and London benefits when people choose to cross those bridges in our community.

Why London Works

What makes London attractive to temporary residents? It starts with our post-secondary institutions, which host thousands of international students each year. Western University guarantees housing for first-year international students, creating immediate community connections. Fanshawe College partners with over 600 local employers for co-op placements, giving students real work experience in London companies.

But education is just the beginning. London's economy offers opportunities in healthcare, technology, manufacturing, and agri-food sectors that actively hire newcomers. London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph's Health Care employ thousands of immigrants. Our growing tech sector provides pathways for skilled workers. Manufacturing companies regularly sponsor temporary workers for permanent residency.

LMLIP's work tries to assist this effort. Our five sub-councils, focused on employment, education, health, housing, and civic engagement, bring together over 100 volunteers and 40+ community partners. When newcomers can access settlement services, find employment support, and connect with people who share their background, they're more likely to see London as home rather than just a stepping stone.

Celebrating 40 Reports of Progress

This Matter of Facts report marks a milestone: our 40th publication tracking immigration trends in London and Middlesex. Over the years, these reports have documented the growth and change of our community.

When we started this research series, we were asking basic questions about who was coming to our community and whether they were finding success here. Now we can confidently say that London has become a destination.

This transformation reflects years of intentional work by settlement agencies, educational institutions, employers, and community members who believed that welcoming newcomers would make London stronger. The numbers prove they were right.

The Stories Behind the Statistics

Behind every retention rate is a real person who chose to make London home. They're the nursing student from India who graduated from Fanshawe and now works at University Hospital. The tech worker from Nigeria who landed a co-op placement during his master's degree at Western and stayed to launch a startup. The Syrian family who arrived as government-assisted refugees and whose children now thrive in school.

These successes are the foundation of London's future. Every temporary visitor who chooses to stay brings skills, and connections that make our whole community stronger.

Join the Celebration: I Am London 2025

This year's I Am London campaign celebrates exactly these stories. We're spotlighting people who came to London temporarily but fell in love with our city and decided to stay. They might have arrived as students, temporary workers, or visitors. They might have come with family or been relocated without much choice. What connects them all is their decision to make London their permanent home.

Through "Chose to Stay," we'll share personal journeys that show how our city becomes home even for those who never planned to put down roots here.

Nominations are now open for the 2025 campaign! Do you know someone who came to London for a short time but chose to stay? We want to hear their story. Submit your nominations by June 30, 2025, here.

Looking Forward

As we celebrate our 40th Matter of Facts report, we're seeing the foundation of London's future, built by people who chose to make this city home. The retention trends show that our community's investment in welcoming newcomers is paying off in the most meaningful way possible: people want to stay.

The challenge now is to build on this success. We need to continue supporting the programs and partnerships that help temporary residents transition to permanent status. We need to address the barriers that still prevent some groups, particularly skilled workers without Canadian experience, from thriving here.

Most importantly, we need to keep telling these stories. Every person who chose London over Toronto, Montreal, or anywhere else in the world represents a vote of confidence in our community. Their stories inspire others and remind us all why London is worth choosing, again and again.