Canada accepted 21,105 foreigners in April this year, the lowest total for a month since the starting of 2021.
Despite a good beginning, Canada’s economy has slowed in the last two months, according to new data from IRCC.
Canada boarded 24,680 new immigrants in January 2021, and the count increased to 23,395 in the next month. In March, levels plummeted much lower to 21,105, and in April, they were still lower. The reason for the drop in permanent resident (PR) intake in the country after a solid start to the year is uncertain.
Immigration Levels Plan 2021-2023 of the country serves as a reference. From this year, the country intends to receive at least 401,000 newcomers every year under the project. The federal government’s goal of aiding Canada’s post-pandemic economic recovery has resulted in these targets.
Owing to corona-related obstacles, such as the travel bans that have been in place since March last year, the country managed to receive 184,000 new immigrants in 2020.
Indeed, Canada’s immigration statistics are at their lowest level since 1998 as a result of the travel bans. Last year in April, the country only welcomed a little over 4,000 new immigrants, making it the worst month for Canadian immigration since World War II.
Canada is no more on track to meet its goal of 401,000 people this year. However, a lot of factors are in motion that might help the country gain traction and grow closer to meeting its goal.
For starters, due to the warmer weather, summer months typically see larger immigration rates. Also, newcomers who arrive before the academic and business calendars resume in September.
Secondly, the Canadian government is openly discussing the possibility of loosening border controls. In recent weeks, Canada has had tremendous success providing COVID-19 vaccines and has seen a decrease in the number of cases. Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister, has stated that the international border will be opened in stages, beginning with immunized travellers. Patty Hajdu, Canada’s health minister, has indicated that Canada might begin reducing quarantine restrictions for exempted travellers as soon as the first week of July. Reducing these rules would allow vast numbers of people with Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) to finish their journey to the maple country.
Finally, through Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and other programs, IRCC is now prioritizing the movement of people in Canada to PRs. Candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) are the primary focus of Express Entry drawings. So far, IRCC has invited 81,713 people to apply for permanent residency in 2021, nearly twice the amount issued at the same period last year. Furthermore, on 6th May, IRCC began accepting applications for the latest streams for up to 90,000 foreign student grads and vital workers.
Candidates for PRs from within the country are less likely to suffer coronavirus-related issues, according to the IRCC. As a result, the increased emphasis on domestic immigration applications should result in a significant increase in the number of people granted PR in the second half of 2021. Although it has been stalled during the outbreak, the Express Entry processing threshold is six months or less. Still, if IRCC meets its target of enrolling many of these candidates by the end of the year, it will be more than the 300,000 immigrant benchmark in 2021.
