Economic and Family Based Migration to Significantly Increase Under New Immigration Plan
November 3, 2017

Executive Summary
Recently, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced the Canadian government’s plan to welcome nearly one million new permanent residents to settle in Canada over the next three years.
The situation
Immigration levels to increase over next three years
A closer look
On November 1, 2017, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced the Canadian government’s multi-year immigration plan, which sets a target of 310,000 new permanent residents to settle in Canada in 2018; 330,000 in 2019; and 340,000 in 2020.
- Economic migration. Almost 60% of the increase in immigration will come from the economic category of permanent residence, including, but not limited to, foreign highly-skilled workers, professionals, business travelers and tradespeople.
- Family reunification migration. Approximately 30% of the increase of permanent residents will come from the reunification of Canadian citizens and permanent residents with their family members through family sponsorship, including spouses, common-law partners, children, parents, and grandparents.
- Background. The government’s plan is one of the most ambitious immigration targets in recent history. The government states that the growth in immigration will support Canadian business and labour needs and will foster economic growth in the face of slowing labour growth and an aging population.
For more information, view the table released by the Canadian government.
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].
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