Planned boost to immigration levels from 2020 to 2022 on hold due to COVID-19
Image credit: Harry Grout via Unsplash
Marco Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, tabled immigration levels plan up to 2022 in the House of Commons, announcing Canada’s plan to continue growing the economy and creating middle class jobs through responsible increases in newcomers.
The proposed plan is based on the economic foundation of the previous levels plan and continues to responsibly grow the number of permanent residents admitted to Canada each year, from 341,000 in 2020 to 351,000 in 2021 and 361,000 in 2022.
The new plan, now on hold due to the COVID-19 crisis, will benefit all Canadians because immigration drives economic growth, spurs innovation and helps employers access the talent they need to thrive. Welcoming more newcomers will help to address the demographic challenges of an ageing population and to compete and win in a competitive global marketplace.
With this plan, a number of key commitments will be implemented to responsibly grow Canada’s population by taking the steps to make the Atlantic Immigration Pilot a permanent program to continue supporting economic growth in Atlantic Canada, with 5,000 admissions; creating a new stream to provide a safe haven for human rights advocates, journalists and humanitarian workers at risk abroad; facilitating the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot and the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot, to address specific labour market shortages; supporting family reunification through sustained high admissions; and reducing application processing times and improving service delivery and client services at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
The plan to increase Francophone immigration outside Quebec will continue to be implemented while supporting the successful integration and retention of French-speaking newcomers and strengthening Francophone communities.
With increased space for the Provincial Nominee Program, an Atlantic Immigration Program, and the Agri-Food and Rural and Northern Immigration Pilots, the levels plan directly addresses labour market needs across Canada to ensure businesses can get the talent they need, where they need it.
This new three-year plan increases permanent immigration to almost one per cent of the population by 2022.
Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, Quebec establishes its own immigration levels.