Canada is ’embracing immigration’ in a bid to attract talent to fill skill shortages in key sectors and manage social, economic and demographic challenges in the years ahead as the minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Sean Fraser, has revealed the 2023–2025 Immigration Levels Plan which is aiming to welcome 465,000 permanent residents in 2023, 485,000 in 2024 and 500,000 in 2025.
“This year’s immigration levels plan will help businesses find the workers they need, set Canada on a path that will contribute to our long-term success, and allow us to make good on key commitments to vulnerable people fleeing violence, war and persecution.”
Asked by The PIE what role international students are expected to play in the plan, IRCC noted that the Canadian government “recognizes the tremendous economic, cultural and social benefits that international students bring to the country”.
The majority of post-secondary international students are eligible to apply for a post-graduation work permit of up to three years upon graduation, and they are “an important group of workers, working in every industry for employers right across the country”, IRCC continued.
Immigrants in Canada
Immigrants in Canada play an important role in the market and in growing the Canadian economy now and in the future by also ensuring Canada has the skills necessary to meet key objectives such as supporting sustainability initiatives to transition to a green, and digital economy.
Welcoming newcomers also involves providing the resources and services such as housing and healthcare that both newcomers and Canadians need.
Communication, teamwork, coordination, and partnerships are crucial in order to welcome newcomers. Accordingly, in order to support integrated coordination and planning across levels of government as well as with partners and stakeholders, IRCC has made early steps to build a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to admissions planning.
Canada Immigration levels plan, 2024 – 2026
- The target for the total number of French speaking permanent residents represent 6% in 2024, 7% in 2025, and 8% in 2026. These are not included in the overall planned admissions of permanent residents. These are only for admissions outside Quebec.
- Canadian experience class, Federal skilled trades program, and Federal skilled worker program are included here.
- Time limited public policies for the admissions by the end of 2023, for the temporary resident to permanent resident pathways are included:
- Self-employed persons and the start-up visa program.
- Municipal nominee program admissions will be included.
- Admissions in the Home support worker pilots, and Home child care provider, these include care for children and, for people who need top medical priority.
- For Quebec, it has complete authority over selecting the immigrants destined to Quebec, under the Canada-Quebec Accord.
- The immigrants target for Quebec is 37,990 in 2024, 34,500 in 2025, and 35,500 in 2026.
- Streams for human rights defenders in need of protection, as well as LGBTQI+ individuals
- Admissions for Afghanistan, Uyghurs and, other Turkic Muslims.
- Admissions of people who have been selected on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
- The target ranges for 2025 and 2026 will be confirmed by 1st of November, each year.
