Canada Welcomes Record Number of Immigrants in 2022: Government Sets Ambitious Plans for the Future
In 2022, Canada welcomed a record-breaking 437,000 new permanent residents. This is the highest number on record for Canada in one single year and exceeded the Immigration Level Plan target set by the government.
This significant increase in the number of immigrants to Canada can be attributed to the initiatives and programs that the government has launched in recent years, such as the express entry system and the ETA entry requirements.
How many immigrants have been admitted to Canada in the last few years?
Over the last five years, the number of immigrants admitted to Canada has been increasing steadily.
From 2016 to 2021, over 1.3 million new immigrants settled permanently in Canada, with the highest number of immigrants recorded in 2021 at 405,999 permanent residents, representing a 120% increase from 2020.
However, in 2022, the record of immigrants surpassed the previous record, and Canada welcomed more than 437,000 immigrants.
In November 2022, the Canadian government introduced the Immigration Level Plans for 2023-2025. These plans aim to welcome 465,000 new permanent residents in 2023, 485,000 in 2024, and 500,000 in 2025. The main purpose of these plans is to support the Canadian economic resurgence and post-pandemic growth. The government wants to ensure that the country has the necessary workforce to support the economic recovery and to address the demographic challenges and labour shortages that the country faces.
The Canadian government's immigration plans also include measures to help vulnerable populations and support global crises. The government plans to grant permanent residency to refugees working in healthcare, as well as providing humanitarian immigration to those facing persecution. Additionally, the government plans to help retain the talents of those that are already in Canada by granting PR status to temporary residents.
Improving applications process
The government has also been working on improving the processing of immigration applications. The government's immigration department, the IRCC, has been setting the bar higher after the big delays in processing applications due to the pandemic. They have been improving their systems as well as the effectiveness of their work. At the end of November 2022, IRCC had processed around 4.8 million applications, which is twice the 2.5 million processed during the same period in 2021. IRCC has been including new initiatives such as improving the digitalized applications, hiring and training new employees, streamlining processes, and using automation technologies in order to increase efficiency in the processes.
In conclusion, Canada has welcomed a record number of immigrants in 2022 and the government has set ambitious plans for the future. The government's immigration plans aim to welcome 1.4 million immigrants within the next three years and to bring immigrants to different parts of the country so they are not concentrated in the main cities. The main purpose of these plans is to support the Canadian economic resurgence and post-pandemic growth, and include measures to help vulnerable populations and support global crises.
If you want more information about the new immigration plans or any updates, you can visit the Canadian government website. If you need any help or have any questions about the immigration process with Acsenda, please contact us.