New immigration levels plan will attract top talent to Canada
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From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
The 2021-2023 Immigration Levels Plan sets out a path for responsible increases to immigration targets to help the Canadian economy recover from COVID-19, drive future growth and create jobs for middle class Canadians.
Although Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) continued to accept and process applications throughout the pandemic, the global travel restrictions and capacity constraints led to a shortfall in admissions over the last several months. To compensate for the shortfall and ensure Canada has the workers it needs to fill crucial labour market gaps and remain competitive on the world stage, the 2021 to 2023 levels plan aims to continue welcoming immigrants at a rate of about 1 per cent of the population of Canada, including 401,000 permanent residents in 2021, 411,000 in 2022 and 421,000 in 2023. The previous plan set targets of 351,000 in 2021 and 361,000 in 2022.
The health, safety and security of Canadians remain top priorities. Canada has strengthened health screening at the border as well as monitoring and enforcement, and will continue to closely follow the advice of public health officials as the country welcomes newcomers.
This multi-year levels plan recognizes the importance of family reunification and Canada’s global commitment to protecting those most at risk through refugee resettlement. Highlights of the plan include:
An increase in admissions over the three years of the plan to make up the shortfall in 2020.
A focus on economic growth, with about 60 per cent of admissions to come from the Economic Class.
A continued focus on innovative and community-driven approaches to address diverse labour and demographic needs across the country.
A renewed commitment to capacity-building and digital transformation in Canada’s immigration system, to support operations and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on the processing of applications.
Additional points for French-speaking candidates under Express Entry, to promote the growth of Francophone communities outside of Quebec.
A commitment to admit up to 500 refugees over the next two years through the Economic Mobility Pathways Project, an innovative approach that helps qualified refugees apply for permanent residence through existing economic immigration pathways.
A pathway to permanent residency for eligible asylum claimants who were working on the front lines of the pandemic between March 13 and August 14, 2020.