Canada declared its Immigration Levels Plan for 2024-26. However, it is vital to note that the immigration levels will remain unchanged from its present targets.
In 2024, the nation will target the admissions of 485,000 newcomers. In addition, in 2025 & 2026, the nation will be welcoming 500,000 newcomers every year.
Well, the targets are the same as those declared under the Immigration Levels Plan 2023 – 2025. The new information released today is the 2026 target & updates regarding the level of immigrants who will be admitted under each glass & program between 2024 – 2026.
Breakdown Of Immigration Targets By Class
In 2024, Canada will look to welcome about 281,135 newcomers under the economic class. In addition, by 2026, this number will rise to 301,250 immigrants.
The family class target in 2024 will be 114,000 immigrants. This number will rise to 118,00 immigrants by 2026.
In addition, Humanitarian admission targets will be 89,865 immigrants in 2024. Well, it includes refugees, protected persons, & those admitted for compassionate, humanitarian, or other reasons. As a result, by 2026, the target will be 80,832 immigrants.
PNP & Express Entry Targets To Rise
As Canada declared its Immigration Levels Plan, the Express Entry Program will be 110,700 in 2024 for permanent residence. However, this will rise to 117,500 immigrants in 2025 & 2026.
In addition, the PNP targets will also rise from 110,000 in 2024 to 120,000 in 2025 & another 120,000 in 2026.
Moreover, spousal, children, & partner sponsorship has a target of 82,000 admissions in 2024, which will rise to 84,000 in 2025 & 2026, respectively. Meanwhile, the PGP target will be 32,000 in 2024, followed by 34,000 newcomers in 2025-2026.
Canadian Government Seeking To Stabilize Immigration Levels
Canada declared its Immigration Levels Plan & explains why it keeps the targets unchanged. Well, the reason is that the plan is tailored to support economic growth while balancing pressure areas like housing, infrastructure, healthcare, etc. Moreover, it charts a responsible course for sustainable & stable population growth.
The government further asserts that it will be able to stabilize permanent resident levels at 500,000, thus allowing time for successful integration while continuing to augment the labor market. In addition, the government also plans to take action over the next year to recalibrate the number of temporary resident admissions to ensure that the immigration system also remains sustainable.
Under the IRPA, the federal government must release its annual immigration plan by November 1 in non-election years.
The Immigration Levels Plan acts as the guideline for the number of new permanent residents who will arrive in Canada over the next three years under economic, humanitarian, & family immigration classes.
Moreover, the plan advances IRCC’s mission to strengthen the economy of Canada & reunite families, thus making Canada a safe place for those facing oppression or other humanitarian crises.
In 2022, Canada broke the record for new immigrants at 437,000 admissions. The target for permanent resident admissions in 2023 is 465,000.
Canada’s New Strategy To Improve Immigration System
The Immigration Levels Plan 2024-2026 comes one day after Canada unveiled a new strategy to improve its immigration system. On October 31, Marc Miller acknowledged shortcomings in the nation’s immigration system by highlighting the pillars of a new approach to modernize the system.
The new strategy, titled ‘An Immigration System For Canada’s Future’, has three major targets:
- Create a more welcoming experience for newcomers
- Align immigration with labor market needs
- Develop a coordinated & comprehensive growth plan
IRCC is seeking to deliver a pleasant & user-friendly experience to its clients. Moreover, IRCC would be aligning the immigration policies with its skills & labor strategy.
Finally, IRCC will be developing an integrated plan among three of Canada’s levels of government to ensure that the nation can offer healthcare, adequate housing, & infrastructure to its growing population of newcomers.
Increase In Immigration Levels Plan In The Late 1980s
Canada’s immigration strategy shifted towards its present forms in the late 1980s. Before this, the government did not place much emphasis on planning for future immigration & generally set immigration targets based on the economy.
In addition, Canada welcomed fewer than 90,000 immigrants in 1984. As the 1990s approached, the federal government, run by the Conservative Party at that time, realized that there would soon be a labor shortage & raised immigration targets to 250,000 new permanent residents over eight years.
The Liberal government was then elected in 1993 & continued to increase immigration targets. It also began to focus more on admitting economic-class immigrants & reducing Canada’s family & humanitarian class shares to help aid the economy in recession.
Moreover, around 260,000 immigrants were then admitted annually until the present liberal government was elected in 2015. Under the current federal government, targets were raised to 300,000 & then to 340,000 shortly before the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.
In 2021, despite the restrictions, Canada broke its record for permanent residence admissions by landing 405,000 newcomers.
Presently, Canada is coping with an affordability crisis & housing shortage. This has led to several polls which indicate less enthusiasm among Canadians for immigration than in previous years.
However, IRCC continues to maintain high immigration targets because of the acute shortage of skilled labor in the face of a low birth rate & impending retirement of millions of Canadian workers as they reach the age of 65. As it stands, Statistics Canada’s most recent population estimate shows that newcomers are responsible for 98% of Canada’s population growth.
The most recent job vacancy data shows that as of July 2023, there were over 701,300 vacant jobs in Canada. While this is a reduction of 273,700 open positions in a year-over-year period, it is still significant enough for IRCC to make some changes to prominent immigration programs & systems, like Express Entry.
Earlier this year, IRCC introduced a category-based selection round of invitations for Express Entry applicants having work experience in an in-demand sector & the ability to promote the French language outside of Quebec.
Quebec Declared Its Immigration Plan Today
Quebec also declared its Immigration Levels Plan for 2024 & 2025 today. It is the only province in Canada with the ability to shape its annual permanent resident admission targets. Well, this is because of their special status in Canada. Moreover, Quebec has the authority to preserve its district’s Francophone character. Today, the province announced that it will welcome over 50,000 new immigrants in 2024 & another 50,000 immigrants in 2025.