With a population of over 37 million people, Canada has its gears working hard to increase our population in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although Canada is the second-largest country in the world with regards to landmass, similarly to parts of Russia, there are parts of our north that cannot support large human populations, which significantly lowers the countries capacity to carry as many people as say the United States or Brazil. Also being a younger developed country, we still have lots of space to grow and expand especially in relation to our population.
Was Canada Accepting Applications For Immigration During 2020?
Yes, Canada was accepting and processing applications throughout the pandemic; although, at times the global travel restrictions and capacity constraints led to a decline in admissions throughout late spring and most of the summer. The numbers did remain consistent throughout the rest of the year.
The Path Ahead:
On October 30th, 2020, the honourable Marco Mendicino, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) spoke about our path to increase immigration targets to help the Canadian economy recover from COVID-19, the need to continue to push future growth and creating jobs for middle-class Canadians.
Since the major hit of the pandemic, a bright light has been shed on how much Canada’s economy relies on the contributions from our immigrants in all sectors. The healthcare system, information technology companies, as well as farmers and producers, are just a few Canadian sectors that continue to rely on immigration for innovation, expansion and creation of new jobs.
In order to make up for the shortfall, the IRCC hope to “fill crucial labour market gaps and remain competitive on the world stage by increasing Canada’s population rate by 1% each year for three consecutive years; including 401,000 permanent residents in 2021, 411,000 in 2022 and 421,000 in 2023.”
Highlights Of the Immigration Plan Include:
- An increase in admissions over the 3 years of the plan to make up the shortfall in 2020
- A focus on economic growth, with about 60% of admissions to come from the Economic Class
- A continued focus on innovative and community-driven approaches to address diverse labour and demographic needs across the country
- A renewed commitment to capacity-building and digital transformation in Canada’s immigration system, to support operations and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on the processing of applications
- Additional points for French-speaking candidates under Express Entry, to promote the growth of Francophone communities outside of Quebec
- A commitment to admit up to 500 refugees over the next 2 years through the Economic Mobility Pathways Project, an innovative approach that helps qualified refugees apply for permanent residence through existing economic immigration pathways
- A pathway to permanent residency for eligible asylum claimants who were working on the front lines of the pandemic between March 13 and August 14, 2020, providing direct care to patients in health-care institutions
Information According to Canada.ca
Special Initiative for Residents of Hong Kong:
In November 2020, another tactic to increase our population was implemented. The Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino announced an initiative that he hopes will entice more students and youth from Hong Kong by offering a special open work permit and an accelerated pathway to permanent residency. He stated that it is designed to encourage recent graduates and those with essential work skills to choose Canada as a place to continue their studies, work and eventually settle. Additionally, the IRCC has made many enhancements to pre-existing immigration programs and increased efforts to raise awareness of these options. We have also been assured that Canadians and Canadian permanent residents in Hong Kong are able to come to Canada at any time. Family members in these cases may also travel to Canada under the present exemptions to travel restrictions; although, they may require a 14-day quarantine upon arrival.
If you need more information or help don’t be afraid to contact an immigration consulting company. In Vancouver, B.C, we have many agents waiting to hear from you.