foreigner
– B2-C2 (intermediate to advanced) –
Practice Your Listening Comprehension
Practice Your Reading Comprehension
In Canadian English, this word typically means:
(noun; negative connotation) a person who does not belong in a particular region/country because they are from a different region/country
NOTE:
Canada is based on multiculturalism, so seeing people and things originally from other countries every day is considered normal. These people and their languages, traditions, religions, cultures, heritages, etc. are welcomed in to Canadian society and, as a result, are adopted as a part of Canadian culture. This means that whoever chooses to live in Canada can belong in Canada; they are not foreigners, socially they are Canadians.
Due to this general Canadian mentality, Canadian English typically uses other words than “foreigner” to describe people from different regions/countries:
international (countable noun/adjective) = a person from another region/country outside of Canada who has not chosen to officially live in Canada (e.g. tourist, exchange student, student/study visa holder, businessperson, political leader, etc.)
tourist (countable noun) = a person who is visiting from another region/country
immigrant (countable noun) = a general word to refer to a person who moves to another country
newcomer (countable noun) = a person who has recently immigrated to Canada
permanent resident (countable noun) = an immigrant who has been given permission from the Government of Canada to permanently live in the country without needing to become a citizen
EXAMPLES
“Numerous internationals travel to Canada every year for tourism, education, and business.”
“Canada’s largest centres, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, have a very high concentration of tourists, compared to other Canadian cities.”
“After graduating from our Master’s programs, my wife and I moved from Canada to Spain. We’ve been immigrants in the country for 2 years now.”
“There are many social services for newcomers to Canada: classes on Canadian culture; English, French and Indigenous language classes; post-secondary educational programs, and much more.”
“Congratulations on becoming a permanent resident!”
“Thanks! I am so happy to no longer be a part of the immigration process–there was so much waiting! It feels so good to officially call Canada my home now.”
Have you ever travelled to another country? Where did you go and what did you like best there? Practice your English by letting me know in the comments below.
