Canada targets 351,000 new permanent residents in 2021 despite pandemic
Bloomberg News reports that after consulting with with various business, labor and settlement organizations to gauge the current demand for immigration, Canada remains committed to bringing 351,000 permanent residents in 2021 despite current travel restrictions.
The coronavirus pandemic has set back Canada’s ambitious immigration targets. In March 2020, Canada unveiled a plan to increase immigration over the next three years — targeting 341,000 permanent residents in 2020, 351,000 in 2021, and 361,000 in 2022.
Although Canada had aimed to welcome 341,000 new immigrants this year, but so far only 128,186 new permanent residents arrived between January and August as the pandemic wreaked havoc on immigration and travel plans.
Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino is leaning against scaling back the government’s immigration targets for the coming years, according to two people familiar with the matter. That includes bringing in 351,000 new permanent residents in 2021 — the most in a century. The government will update its three-year projections within the next month.
Bloomberg News
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Bloomberg identifies several impacts of the pandemic and related travel restrictions on Canada’s immigration-related economics. For example, international students have largely been unable to travel to Canada. Decline in immigration is having significant knock-on effects in the housing market as apartment vacancy rates have increased significantly, condo rental listings doubled and average rents plummeted by 9%.
Canada 2020-2022 Immigration Level: Targets
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||
| Economic | Federal High Skilled | 91,800 | 91,150 | 91,550 |
| Federal Business | 750 | 750 | 750 | |
| Economic Pilots: Caregivers; Agri-Food Immigration Pilot; Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot | 5,200 | 7,150 | 9,500 | |
| Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program | 5,000 | 5,000 | 5,000 | |
| Provincial/Territorial Nominee Program | 67,800 | 71,300 | 73,000 | |
| Quebec Skilled Workers and Business | 25,250 | TBD | TBD | |
| Total Economic | 195,800 | 203,050 | 212,050 | |
| Family | Spouses, Partners and Children | 70,000 | 70,000 | 70,000 |
| Parents and Grandparents | 21,000 | 21,000 | 21,000 | |
| Total Family | 91,000 | 91,000 | 91,000 | |
| Refugees and Protected Persons | Protected Persons in Canada and Dependents Abroad | 18,000 | 20,000 | 20,500 |
| Resettled Refugees – Government-Assisted | 10,700 | 10,950 | 11,450 | |
| Resettled Refugees – Privately Sponsored | 20,000 | 20,000 | 20,000 | |
| Resettled Refugees – Blended Visa Office-Referred | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | |
| Total Refugees and Protected Persons | 49,700 | 51,950 | 52,950 | |
| Humanitarian and Other | Total Humanitarian & Compassionate and Other | 4,500 | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| Overall Planned Permanent Resident Admissions | 341,000 | 351,000 | 361,000 |
You may pre-qualify for a Canada immigration program.
See also Canada rated best country for accepting immigrants – Gallup World Poll
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You may pre-qualify for a Canada immigration program.
