Migration from Thailand to Canada has gradually increased since the 1950s, when a few Thai students first came to study at Canadian universities. Migration has since continued at a slow pace, with a brief increase after the 1997 financial crisis in Thailand, which resulted in more Thais looking for work and educational opportunities overseas. Thai immigrants who choose to remain in Canada have generally immigrated to study, to take up a business, or to marry a Canadian. Many of them claim that they did not originally intend to stay in Canada. According to the 1991 census, there were 5,820 immigrants born in
Thailand; 2,900 whose first language spoken at home was the
Thai language; and 2,770 who claimed that they were of Thai ethnic origin. The larger figure for immigrants is explained by the fact that a certain number are likely
ethnic Chinese and perhaps
Lao from Thailand. Thai couples and small groups have settled primarily in
Toronto,
Vancouver,
Calgary, and
Montreal. While most Thai Canadians are professionals, students, or have married Canadian men, there are occasional instances of young women entering the country as artists and entertainers, or as visitors who become afterward bonafide Canadians by marrying or contributing to the culture in one way or another. Some are bilingual and, like many immigrants, speak their adopted language more clearly than some natives. Some Thais in Canada work in the restaurant industry and Thai cuisine, known for its balance between sweet, sour, salty and spicy flavours, and for its use of fresh herbs, coconut milk and galangal root. This cuisine has become popular in Canada, particularly in urban areas. One notable example of a Thai in this industry is internationally acclaimed chef Sasi Meechai-Lim, who resides in Toronto, where she has opened several restaurants. ==Employment==