Every year, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) releases Immigration Levels Plans, which they use to guide their immigration operations.
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The IRCC surpassed its goal by accepting over 405,000 immigrants into the country in 2021. The new aim for the following years is to increase the number of permanent resident (PR) applications.
Year | Target Permanent Residency Applicants |
2022 | 431,645 Applicants |
2023 | 447,055 Applicants |
2024 | 451,000 Applicants |
For this year, 2022, the federal government aims to receive approximately 432,000 immigrants into Canada. This is one of their strategies to cover the gaps in their economy and increase their labor market post-COVID-19.
Why Is Canada Accepting More Immigrants?
There are several reasons why Canada is accepting more immigrants.
Immigrants Strengthen the Economy of Canada
The main reason Canada welcomes a large number of Immigrants is to strengthen its economy. Every country wants a strong economy, and Canada is not an exception. Canada has one of the oldest populations and one of the lowest birth rates in the world. The low growth rate of its population results in fewer people in its labor workforce. This means that there is a shortage of skilled professionals and low economic growth. These reasons alone are a big hazard to any thriving economy. It is difficult for a country like Canada to increase its taxes to support its social spending. These include aspects of their social services, such as:
health care
education
other essentials that Canada needs to maintain a high standard of living for its citizens.
Therefore, the country relies on immigrants to change that status quo. Immigration is important to keep Canada's economy strong, its population growth, and to support its labor markets. There has been a continuous increase in the immigration levels in Canada since the late 1980s. This rise in immigrants helped to grow the country's labor force, population, and economy.
Now, Canada relies on immigrants for the majority of its population to prevent a decrease in its economic growth. In the years to come, immigration will continue to play a critical role in supporting the economy of Canada.
How COVID-19 Influenced the Immigration Plans 2022-2024
There is a lot of hope for new immigrants with the Immigration Plans 2022-2024. This is because Canada has continued to manage its immigration system during the pandemic. There has been a disruption in the processing of applications because of the COVID-19 restrictions on travel into the country. However, the Canadian government has communicated its desire to continue its immigration process. Canada had a reduced flow of new permanent resident arrivals in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19. However, in 2022, the gates of Canada will be wide open to more people, which are:
more skilled workers
family class immigrants
refugees
temporary foreign workers
international students
visitors
The country has stopped the CEC, FSW, and FST draws until late 2022. Yet, the PNP draws are still occurring throughout Canada.
Also, due to the impact of COVID-19 on the country's economy, more immigrants will be welcomed. The Coronavirus has taken a toll on the country and has weakened its economy. With the previous statistics of the low birth rate in Canada, and the advent of the pandemic, there might be a drastic reduction in Canada’s population. Therefore, the country will be more dependent on immigration for its population growth in the coming years.
The main aim of the Canadian government is to recover from the economic blows of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country depends on immigration as a solution to walk through 2022.
Now would be the best time to start your immigration journey.
Changes to Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) And Canada Experience Class (CEC)
There are two well-known immigration pathways used by the IRCC:
The immigration office uses these pathways to bring skilled workers into Canada.
However, things are about to change!
The IRCC released a recent internal memo in November 2021. The memo stated Canada would suspend the FSW and CEC draws until further notice.
The immigration office suggests that the Express Entry draws for Federal Skilled Worker (FSWP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and Federal Skilled Trades (FSTP) will be put on hold till mid-2022.
The memo also stated that the processing time for CEC applications will be 7.6 months. In contrast, the FSW applications will have a rise in their processing time, up to 36 months in 2022.
Unfortunately, the IRCC also stated a lower number for the overall immigration targets for Express Entry candidates in 2022. This is to enable them to make up for increased admissions through the TR to PR pathway. The government has also set higher targets under PNPs and federal economic pilot programs.
Besides, the IRCC office also introduced the TR (Temporary Resident) to PR (Permanent Resident). The decision was made as a result in the accumulation of applicants. Therefore, it increased the processing time above the standard six-month period.
As a result, there will be no draw until their application backlog is under control. Note that this does not permanently stop the draws as they are looking to resume them soon.
Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathways Target
Canada has created several immigration pathways for essential workers and international graduates who are currently working in Canada. With the introduction of this immigration pathway, several categories can now apply for PR. These are:
immigrants
refugees
visitors who are temporary workers
recent graduates from Canadian post-secondary institutions
The main aim of the TR to PR immigration pathways is to grant permanent residency to temporary workers and international graduates who are in Canada. However, they must possess the sought-after skills, technical know-how, and experience needed to boost Canada’s economy.
Additional Flexibility to The Express Entry System
The Express Entry Program is one way to gain permanent residency in Canada, but is it the only way? No! There are other pathways. The Express Entry Program is the most popular Express Entry System for skilled workers. It is a Canadian Immigration Program that allows immigrants to live and work in Canada as skilled workers. Other ways you can gain Express Entry to Canada are:
Are You Planning on Immigrating to Canada? We Can Help!
If you are curious about different options that may apply to you, book a consultation with us or give us a call at +1-604-484-9474 and we will assess your profile according to your background, education, and experience to know if you are eligible to apply for one of Canada’s immigration programs.
Here at Chitra and Associates, we aim to help you build your application process to ensure that all requirements are respected. Our consultants are here to answer all your questions and provide impactful advice that will help you throughout your application journey.
A Cautionary Note: The foregoing provides only an overview and does not constitute legal advice. Readers are cautioned against making any decisions based on this material alone. Rather, specific legal advice should be obtained, and the readers are asked to refer to the government website for the most updated information.
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