Canada Reaches Target of 401,000 New Permanent Residents in 2021

Canada has welcomed the greatest number of immigrants in any single year in Canadian history.

Immigration accounts for nearly 100% of Canada’s labour force growth. An estimated 75% of the population growth of Canada comes from immigration.

By 2036, immigrants are projected be make up 30% of Canada’s population. In 2011, immigrants made up 20.7% of the population of Canada.

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A safe and welcoming destination for immigrants, Canada leads among the most-accepting countries for a migrant.

The contribution of newcomers to Canadian society and economy can hardly be overstated. Newcomers that come to Canada in search for a better life bring along their culture and heritage. Their talent, ideas and perspectives also enter into Canada through immigration.

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As Canada grapples with a low birth rate on one hand and an aging workforce on the other, immigration has been looked upon as holding a part of the solution to fix the gap in the Canadian labour force.

Over the years, the Department – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) – has continued to introduce new and innovative Canada immigration programs, making it easier for newcomers to make their contribution to specific communities across Canada.

IRCC’s first rate selection and settlement programs effectively respond to the ever-increasing number of people seeking better opportunities in Canada. In 2019, Canada welcomed 341,000 new permanent residents. Over 402,000 Canada study permits and 404,000 temporary work permits for Canada were also granted in the same year. 184,500 newcomers were welcomed by Canada over the course of 2020. Despite the COVID-19 situation since March 2020, Canada has adjusted, adapted, and gone ahead with its various immigration programs. Express Entry profiles continued to be accepted and permanent residence applications processed all during the period. As a result, the Canadian government broke an all-time immigration record this year. As initially targeted and laid down in the 2021-2023 Immigration Levels Plan, 401,000 immigrants landed in Canada in 2021. A record in itself.

IRCC has announced the milestone in a December 23, 2021 News Release, “Canada has reached its target and welcomed more than 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021.”

In the history of Canada, the previous record for most newcomers in a year stood for the year 1913.

The present achievement by the Canadian government is significant on its own, more so when considered in the backdrop of the many challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Domestic lockdowns and closed borders impacted global migration to a great extent.

Nevertheless, through leveraging new technology, bringing in more processes online, and by adding resources, IRCC rose to the occasion. IRCC processed a record half-a-million permanent residence applications in 2021.

Since March 2020, IRCC shifted the focus to those already within Canada on a temporary basis, such as those with previous and recent Canadian work experience (making them eligible for the Canadian Experience Class or CEC), or those with a nomination by a provincial or territorial government (making them eligible for the Provincial Nominee Program or Canadian PNP).

Canada PR applications under the CEC are managed through Express Entry, an online application management system that has a standard processing time of within six months from the receipt of the PR application by IRCC.

67-points will have to be scored by an individual to be able to create a profile in the federal Express Entry system of Canada.

Australia's SkillSelect, on the other hand, lets you create an Expression of Interest (EOI) profile even if you don’t score the required 65-points. You will, however, not be eligible for receiving an invitation to apply by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) of the Australian government.

A majority of the new Canadian permanent residents in 2021 were already in Canada on a temporary basis.

As part of the response to the COVID-19 situation, the Government of Canada launched new immigration pathways and programs to engage –

• French-speaking newcomers,
• essential workers,
• healthcare professionals, and
• international graduates.

Family reunification being another priority for Canada, many spouses and children also came to be reunited recently. Similarly, more families in Canada got to sponsor their parents and grandparents for Canada PR visas.

Why does Canada need immigrants?

Canada relies on immigration to – ·       drive economy, ·       enrich society, ·       support an aging population, ·       create jobs, ·       promote innovation, ·       help address labour shortages, and ·       contribute to communities.

As per Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, “Last year, we set an ambitious goal. Today, we achieved it.”

With 411,000 and 421,000 overall planned permanent resident admissions for 2022 and 2023 respectively, the future indeed bodes well for Canadian immigration.

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If you are looking to Work, Study, Invest, Visit, or Migrate to Canada, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No. 1 Immigration & Visa Company.

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