Canada is welcoming more and more immigrants
The annual goal is almost achieved, but there are a number of challenges.
A new month, a new record. In September, Canada set an all-time record by welcoming 45,000 new residents, but has already raised the bar to 46,315 in October. The country is thus well on its way to its goal of welcoming 401,000 new immigrants in 2021.
Canada's immigration successes
46,315 are people who came directly to Canada and gained permanent residence or changed from temporary to permanent resident status. In 2021, the majority of immigrants are people who worked in the country and then obtained permanent residence through one of the immigration programs.
From January to October 2021, Canada has already welcomed 313,838 immigrants. To reach the annual target, about 87,000 more are needed — 43,500 each in November and December. Given current figures, this is more than realistic.
Canada's new immigration minister Sean Fraser said in one of his first interviews that Canada is still facing a shortage of workers and that he is willing to increase immigration to the country if necessary. Before February 10, 2022, the government must release a new immigration plan for 2022-2024. So far, the tentative target for next year is 411,000 new immigrants.
If you want to be one of the lucky ones to get permanent residency in Canada, sign up for a consultation and find out how you can immigrate.
Problems with immigration
Unfortunately, things are not as positive in Canada's immigration system right now as they first appear. Fraser spoke frankly about how the country now faces a number of challenges. Since most new immigrants were already in Canada on work or student visas, the actual population growth rate in 2021 was a record low of just 0.5%. That means the problem of a shortage of workers is not being addressed.
In addition, as of the end of October, more than 1.8 million immigration and visa applications are in the queue. These are people who have already been invited, but are still unable to obtain authorization to enter Canada. The Department of Immigration plans to move the immigration system entirely to an online format, which will partially solve the problem.
