Canada welcomed 15,025 new permanent residents last September, according to a recent report from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
While the IRCC has broken records this year with the number of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residency sent out, the number of permanent residents who have actually been welcomed into the country is a far cry from the goals initially set for 2020.
During September 2019, Canada was able to welcome over 34,000 new immigrants, more than twice the number of new immigrants welcomed this year. The total number of immigrants welcomed between January and September this year is at 143,500. It is likely that this year’s numbers will fall short of the IRCC’s goal of welcoming 200,000 residents in 2020.
The pandemic has caused disruptions that have drastically affected immigration in Canada. Prior to the beginning of the travel restrictions and quarantine measures on March 18, Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino had announced the IRCC’s intent to welcome 341,000 new permanent residents, as they had done the previous year.
Shortly after that, however, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that COVID-19 had been classified as a pandemic. In accordance with health and safety protocols, countries all over the world, including Canada, initiated travel restrictions and border closures. Quarantine measures were also observed within the country’s borders, effectively putting Canada’s immigration process to a halt.
Social distancing measures largely affected obtaining and complying with application requirements. Those abroad with confirmations of permanent residence (COPRs) have had them expire over the course of the pandemic, and many who have obtained COPRs after March 18 are unable to travel due to the pandemic.
However, Canada remains hopeful, having already made plans for their post-pandemic future. Last October, Canada announced their new and ambitious Immigration Levels Plan 2021-2023, detailing their goals to welcome at least 400,000 new permanent residents every year for the next three years. These are the highest immigration level goals Canada has set in the history of Canadian immigration.
With the record-breaking number of ITAs to apply for permanent residency being sent out this year, Canada has already begun the first step to achieving their new Immigration Levels Plan. Express Entry draws are the highest they’ve ever been, and the provinces have held consistent draws inviting new permanent residents through the Provincial Nominee Program.
While the pandemic has caused a major setback for Canada, they are already looking ahead.
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