North America

The Italian migration flow to Canada and the United States has had some common features and considerable differentiation in numbers and timing.
The overall figures are clear: Canada, between 1876 and 1976, took in just over half a million emigrants compared to about six million in the United States.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, there were 6,854 Italians in Canada. In the United States, about one million.
In fact, Canada became a country of emigration only after World War II when, as a result of its economic growth, the flow from Italy experienced a sharp increase. That for the United States had, in the same years, small and constant dimensions.
In both states a large proportion of the immigrants found, at first, work in major railroad construction or other public works.
Commitment to work led the Italians to a decisive role jump: originally they were of "non-preferred nationality." In time they became appreciated and esteemed.