Canada’s population expands by one million in under a year. Another significant demographic milestone has been reached in Canada, mostly due to immigration.
As of April 1st, this year, Statistics Canada’s most recent statistics shows that the country’s population exceeded 41 million (41,012,563). By contrast, in June 2023, the population hit a record 40 million.
A fourth of that growth occurred in Canada between January and April 2024, when 242,673 new immigrants entered the nation, a 0.6% quarterly increase. 240,955 of these recent arrivals arrived via both temporary and permanent immigration routes.
Surge in Permanent Immigrants Heading to the Maritimes
Data indicates that permanent immigrants have driven record growth in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick. The report defines permanent immigrants as landed immigrants or permanent residents.
Of the 121,758 individuals who entered Canada through permanent immigration programs, over 9,000 settled in the Maritime provinces. This marks the largest increase in this region since 1971. The report attributes this expansion to the growing demand for skilled workers in the Maritime area.
Slowing Growth for Non-Permanent Residents
With the recent growth in Non-Permanent Residents (NPRs), Canada’s NPR population as of April reached a record-high of 2,793,594. 2,430,282 people with work or study permits make up this category; the remaining 363,312 people are connected groups, people seeking refuge, and protected individuals.
As stated in the upcoming Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC set a cap on the number of temporary residents allowed to enter Canada in the upcoming years. This announcement was made prior to numerous NPRs arriving in the first quarter of 2024, according to Statistics Canada.
The population of Canada increased by 131,810 NPRs overall in the first quarter of 2024. According to the research, even if this increase is greater than it was during the same period in 2023, it is still among the lowest since 2022, when numerous pandemic-related measures were eliminated.
According to the figures, the growth rate in the first quarter would have been a mere 0.3% in the absence of temporary residents.
Decline in Study Permit Holders
Comparison of study permit holders in the first quarter of 2023 versus the same period in 2024 reveals a decrease of approximately 24,000 individuals. Statistics Canada acknowledges that fewer study permits are typically issued during this time of year on average, but attributes the notable decline to various factors.
One significant reason is the adjustments made to Canada’s International Student Program, announced in January. These changes now require international students to obtain a Provincial Attestation Letter from their designated learning institution (DLI). The number of PALs issued by each province is determined by the International Student Acceptance allocated to them by the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada. This means that the provincial government overseeing the DLI must authorize the admission of each international student.
As part of its recent announcement, IRCC has imposed a cap on the number of study permits it will process in 2024. Specifically, the agency plans to handle 606,000 applications for study permits, anticipating a 60% approval rate.
Following the January announcement, provinces had until March 31 to establish a process for issuing Provincial Attestation Letters (PALs). However, delays in implementing these mechanisms caused many PALs to be issued close to the deadline. Consequently, this delay has impacted the processing times for some study permit applications.
Immigration Levels in Canada – Trends and Statistics
Statistics Canada has reported the number of permanent immigrants entering Canada in alignment with the Immigration Levels Plan for 2024–2026.
Under this plan, Canada aims to welcome 485,000 new permanent residents by the end of 2024. This target is projected to increase to 500,000 in 2025 and remain steady through 2026. However, the goals for 2025 and 2026 are preliminary estimates and could be subject to change once the 2025–2027 Plan is finalized.
According to the IRCC, the Immigration Levels Plan includes a “soft cap” on temporary residents such as individuals with work permits, study permits, or temporary resident (visitor) visas. This cap is intended to manage the overall number of temporary residents admitted into Canada alongside permanent immigrants.
The Canadian government is enacting a number of adjustments in response to growing strain on the country’s healthcare system and worries about home affordability brought on by the country’s fast population expansion. These changes coincide with a discernible drop in popular support for large immigration numbers. The Environics Institute claims that although support for immigration in Canada peaked in 2022, it fell by about 20% in 2023.
Candidates who are most likely already temporary residents living and working in Canada are the subject of recent Express Entry drawings. This plan consists of one draw for candidates in the Canadian Experience Class and two draws that are solely for candidates who applied to the Provincial Nominee Program in the previous month. These approaches aim to assist IRCC in meeting its 2024 targets for permanent residents by welcoming individuals who are already contributing to Canada’s population. They do so without adding to the country’s overall population.