Canada set a record by inviting nearly 400,000 new permanent residents to the country in 2021. Breaking its all-time high, this is the second time that the country has achieved this number since its founding in 1867.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed the news in a statement.
“To support Canada’s post-pandemic recovery and chart a more prosperous future, the Government of Canada has set a goal of welcoming 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021, as part of the 2021 Immigration Levels Plan- 2023 ”, indicates the press release. “The Honorable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, today announced that Canada has reached its goal of welcoming over 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021. Surpassing the previous record of 1913, this is the highest number of newcomers to Canada in a year. the story.”
The target was set by the authorities shortly before the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The initial goal was to welcome nearly 341,000 new residents during the year 2020, but Canada was only able to reach 184,000 due to the start of the lockdown due to the pandemic.
However, authorities have redoubled their efforts to meet the target and help people come to Canada. This brought the new target figure of 401,000 new immigrants.
“This historic achievement is particularly important in the face of the many challenges of the pandemic. From closed borders to national blockages, global migration has been disrupted by COVID-19,” the statement said. “But staff at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) rose to the challenge and processed a record half a million applications in 2021. To achieve this, IRCC added resources, adopted new technologies and no more online process. These changes are all permanent improvements to Canada’s immigration system.
However, given the pandemic, Canadian authorities played smart and focused primarily on immigrants who were already residing in the country on study, business, work or tourism visas. They started to help these immigrants have a quick transition in addition to helping those coming from abroad.
Depending on the technicality, a landing may be considered if a person comes to Canada from abroad or is currently in the country on temporary visas and obtains resident status within the borders. Officials used this technicality, and since people residing in Canada are less affected by Covid’s disruption and travel restrictions, officials were able to issue more permanent visas.
“As we continue to fight the pandemic, we have made the most of the talent already present within our borders. The majority of these new permanent residents were already in Canada on temporary status,” the statement said. . “In particular, we have launched new programs to engage essential workers, health professionals, international graduates and Francophone newcomers. Family reunification is another pillar of our system, and we have reunited spouses and children while allowing more families to sponsor parents and grandparents. Finally, as many countries close their doors to refugees, we have continued to provide the world’s most vulnerable refuge in Canada. “
“Amateur web enthusiast. Award-winning creator. Extreme music expert. Wannabe analyst. Organizer. Hipster-friendly tv scholar. Twitter guru.”