On November 1, the Government of Canada tabled the 2017 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration, including the levels plan. The new plan sets out the highest levels of new permanent residents to be welcomed to Canada in recent history.
Under the plan, Canada will accept 310,000 new permanent residents in 2018. That number will grow to 330,000 in 2019 and to 340,000 in 2020, trending towards one percent of the population. By welcoming more newcomers, the plan aims to support Canada’s economic growth, drive innovation and address labour shortages across the country.
Of the 310,000 newcomers for 2018, the plan sets 60 percent of them to come to Canada for work. Increased levels also allow Canada to uphold humanitarian commitments by offering protection to refugees and creating the needed space to reduce backlogs and processing times for families sponsoring spouses, children, parents, grandparents and caregivers.
This multi-year plan will help IRCC better prepare for future admissions. It also reflects a continued commitment to ensuring that Canada’s immigration system is well-managed. Longer planning horizons and the gradual increase of immigrants allow the provinces and territories, as well as settlement and integration partners, to plan for the arrival of more newcomers.
In 2016, Canada welcomed 296,000 permanent residents – nearly 25,000 more than the previous year. The majority of newcomers came for work, but Canada also welcomed more than 62,000 resettled refugees, asylum seekers and people admitted on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, as well as some 78,000 newcomers who were sponsored by their families.
