Canada published its Immigration Goals 2024-2026 on November 1, 2023. The country is looking at 485,000 new immigrants in 2024 and 500,000 new immigrants each year in 2025 and 2026.
Since the country has announced its immigration level plan for 2024-2026, it will continue to accept the same number of immigrants that it already targets. The nation intends to admit 485,000 new immigrants by the year 2024. Furthermore, it will allow 500,000 new immigrants annually in 2025 and 2026. The update, released on November 1, 2023, contained targets for 2026, and immigrant data that will be considered under each class and program in 2024-2026.
On November 1, 2023., Quebec also presented its proposal for immigration levels in 2024 and 2025. The only province in Canada that has control over its annual admission targets for permanent residents is Quebec. Their unique status in Canada is the cause of this. Quebec possesses the power to mold immigration goals in a way that supports the preservation of its unique francophone identity. The province declared today that it intends to target 50,000 new arrivals in 2024 and an additional 50,000 in 2025.
IRCC continues to maintain high immigration targets due to a shortage of skilled labor. As things stand, 98% of Canada’s population growth can be attributed to immigration, according to Statistics Canada’s most current population estimate.
According to the latest recent data on job openings, there were 701,300 open positions in Canada as of July 2023. Even while there are 273,700 fewer unfilled positions now than there were a year ago, this is still a substantial enough number for the IRCC to modify some well-known immigration procedures and programs, such as Express Entry.
Class-by-class breakdown of immigration goals
More than 281,000 new people under the economic class, or 58% of the yearly objective, are anticipated to be accepted to Canada in 2024. This will increase to 301,250 newcomers by 2026, or 60% of the yearly goal.
The goal for the family class is 114,000 immigrants by 2024, or 24% of all admissions. By 2026, this will increase to 118,000 immigrants, or 24% of all admissions.
In 2024, more than 89000 newcomers, or almost 19% of total immigrants, will be targeted for humanitarian admissions. Refugees, protected individuals, and those accepted for compassionate, humanitarian, or other conditions are all included in these totals. The aim is to reach 80,832 immigrants by 2026, or 16% of admissions.
The goal for Express Entry is to admit more than 110,500 permanent residents in 2024 whereas in 2025 and 2026, this number will increase to 117,500 people.
Canada will welcome 110,000 immigrants under the PNP Provincial Nominee Program in 2024, and 120,000 immigrants each year in 2025 and 2026.
The goal for the Spousal, Partner, and Children sponsorship is to admit 82,000 people in 2024; in 2025 and 2026, this number will increase to 84,000. In the meantime, the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) aims to welcome 32,000 newcomers in 2024, and then another 34,000 in 2025 and 2026.
Canadian authority looking to stabilize immigration levels
Addressing why it is keeping its targets unchanged, the Canadian government states:
“This plan is tailored to support economic growth while balancing with the pressures in areas like housing, healthcare, and infrastructure. It charts a responsible course for sustainable and stable population growth. Starting in 2026, the government will stabilize permanent resident levels at 500,000, allowing time for successful integration, while continuing to augment Canada’s labor market. The government also plans to take action over the next year to recalibrate the number of temporary resident admissions to ensure this aspect of our immigration system also remains sustainable.”
Canada’s primary immigration law, the Immigration and Refugees Protection Act (IRPA), requires the federal government to publish its annual immigration plan by November 1st in years when there are no elections.
The amount of new permanent residents that each of the 3 immigration classes—economic, family, and humanitarian—will be allowed into Canada over the next 3 years is determined by the Immigration Levels Plan.
The proposal advances the goals of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which include bringing families back together, bolstering the country’s economy, and establishing Canada as a haven for people escaping persecution or other humanitarian crises.
With 437,000 admissions, Canada broke the record for new immigrants in 2022. 465,000 admissions as permanent residents are the goal for 2023. On October 31, Immigration Minister Marc Miller presented the foundations of a new strategy to reform the immigration system while acknowledging flaws in the current framework.
Three main objectives make up the new policy, An Immigration System for Canada’s Future:
- Make the environment more hospitable for visitors;
- Match the needs of the labor market with immigration;
- Create a thorough and well-coordinated expansion plan.