The 2021 – 2023 Immigration Plan was recently announced by the government of Canada in its 2020 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration. The Government of Canada prepared an ambitious 2021-2023 Immigration Levels Plan in light of the reduction in immigration in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has forced the government of Canada to restrict travel to Canada since March.
2021 – 2023 Immigration Plan for Permanent Residence
The following levels were announced for permanent residence which can be found both in the new release on IRCC’S website in Notice – Supplementary Information for the 2021-2023 Immigration Levels Plan and the 2020 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration.
2021–2023 Immigration Levels Plan
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projected admissions – Targets | 401,000 | 411,000 | 421,000 | |||
| Projected admissions – Ranges | Low | High | Low | High | Low | High |
| Federal economic, provincial/ territorial nominees | 153,600 | 208,500 | 167,600 | 213,900 | 173,500 | 217,500 |
| Quebec-selected skilled workers and business | See Quebec’s immigration plan | See Quebec’s immigration plan | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| Family reunification | 76,000 | 105,000 | 74,000 | 105,000 | 74,000 | 106,000 |
| Refugees, protected persons, humanitarian and compassionate and other | 43,500 | 68,000 | 47,000 | 68,000 | 49,000 | 70,500 |
| Total | 300,000 | 410,000 | 320,000 | 420,000 | 330,000 | 430,000 |
An Analysis of the plan indicates that more than half of the projected admissions for permanent residence in Canada for the next three years will be under the Economic categories which the plan calls Federal Economic, provincial/territorial nominees.
With the other half of the projected admissions being for all other categories for permanent residence which include Family reunification (sponsorships), Permanent residence for refugees and protected persons as well as applications for permanent residence under humanitarian and compassionate considerations.
It will be interesting to see how the government will from a practical point of view be able to meet these numbers in light of the pandemic and the travel restrictions for Canada that are currently in place.
Asylum Claims increased in 2019
In its 2020 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration, the Government stated that Canada in 2019 received over 64,000 in-Canada asylum, the highest annual number received on record. Furthermore, approximately 26% were made by asylum claimants who crossed the Canada-U.S. border between designated ports of entry.
It will be interesting to see how these numbers will be impacted in light of the Federal Court’s decision regarding the Safe Third Country Agreement.
Humanitarian and Compassionate Considerations
In 2019, there were 4,681 permanent residents admitted under Humanitarian and Compassionate considerations.
The reliance on Immigration to ensure population growth and economic development impacted the 2021 – 2023 Immigration Plan
In its 2020 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration, the Government stated that Immigration will continue to be a key driver in advancing Canada’s economy, especially in the context of low birth rates and its vital role in growing the working-age population, and it will remain so into the future.
“By the early 2030s, it is expected that Canada’s population growth will rely exclusively on immigration. ” “Between 2017 and 2018, net immigration accounted for 80% of Canada’s population increase, with the remaining 20% accounted for through natural increase”.
Canada’s Labor Market and Immigration
The Report to parliament seems to indicate that Canada must continue to increase it’s immigration numbers in order to sustain growth from a demographic perspective but more importantly from an economic perspective
Please note that this should not be construed as Legal Advice. This is General Information and should not be acted on.
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