Canada: Immigration Levels Plan Announced, Emphasizing Filling Labor Market Shortages
November 1, 2022
Country / Territory
Share
At a Glance
The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced the 2023 to 2025 Immigration Levels Plan which aims to increase immigration targets in order to fill critical labor market shortages. Specific details of the plan include:
-
- Increasing overall immigration admissions over the next three years;
- Attracting French-speaking individuals and those with targeted skills;
- Raising family reunification targets; and
- Increasing the number of asylees and refugees welcomed in the country.
The situation
The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced the 2023 to 2025 Immigration Levels Plan which aims to increase immigration targets.
A closer look
Details of the plan include:
|
TOPIC |
DETAILS |
IMPACT |
| Increased targets economic classes of permanent residents |
Targets will increase as follows for the economic pathways:
|
The increase in admissions of permanent residents through the economic pathways of the Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Programs will allow businesses to fill labor gaps within their workforces. |
| Express Entry system to target skills |
The Express Entry program is specifically being used to target individuals whose skills and qualifications fill those lacking in the Canadian population, such as health care, manufacturing, building trades and STEM fields. |
By targeting certain foreign nationals for immigration to Canada, the government will be able to bring in individuals who can help alleviate labor shortages in certain fields. |
| Increased targets for regional programs |
Regional programs, such as the Provincial Nominee Program, the Atlantic Immigration Program and the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, which bring foreign nationals to remote areas to live and work will have their targets increased significantly. |
The increased targets for these programs will allow more individuals to fill the significant labor gaps that occur in more remote regions of Canada. |
| Increased family reunification |
Family sponsorship is the second largest permanent residence class after the economic class. Canada’s new targets for this class are as follows:
|
Increased family reunification levels will make Canada a more desirable destination for foreign nationals as family members abroad will not be separated for as lengthy a time and will be able to live and work in the country more quickly. |
| Increased French-speaking targets | The plan will ensure that at least 4.4% of new permanent residents outside of Quebec speak French. | The government is seeking to grow French-speaking communities outside of Quebec to further promote the role of French culture across the country. |
| Increased support for individuals facing persecution | The Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot, which helps qualified refugees apply for permanent residence, will be expanded. | Qualified refugees and asylum seekers will contribute to addressing labor gaps in the Canadian workforce. |
Background
- Emphasis on increased immigration. In 2021, the Canadian government welcomed over 405,000 new permanent residents to the country—the highest number ever recorded. The new immigration plan continues to emphasize increased immigration to fill labor gaps and support an aging population.
- Focus on regional immigration. The new plan emphasizes spreading immigration to even the most remote areas of the country, in order to fill labor shortages and subsequently grow the economy.
Looking ahead
Canada is likely to continue to promote policies to increase immigration due to its aging population and significant labor shortages, following the COVID-19 pandemic. The new Immigration Levels Plans shows the government’s ongoing commitment to encourage immigration into Canada based on its belief that immigration benefits the national economy.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
