Canada is ready and set to invite about a million immigrants between the year 2018 and 2020. This immigration level target was set in the government’s new multi-year immigration levels plan tabled in the House of Commons on November 1. Reports state that the majority of these new permanent immigrants will be made up of economic migrants or skilled workers in simple terms. Most of these economic newcomers are set to immigrate through the Express Entry system. Targets for economic immigration will increase every year until 2020.
Under the proposed plan, 310,000 new permanent residents will settle in Canada in the year 2018. This target will be increased to 330,000 newcomers in 2019 and further 340,000 newcomers in 2020.
Express Entry and PNPs
According to the reports, of all the newcomers, around 565,000 immigrants will be admitted to Canada through the economic programs managed under Express Entry. The increasing immigration level witnessed in the year 2017, makes it clear that Express Entry is now the main driver of economic immigration to Canada.
Something that was also noticed that the increased target for Express Entry candidates in 2017 was a contributory factor in the decrease of eligibility CRS cut-off threshold.
The remaining 184,000 immigrants would be economic migrants and their family members admitted to Canada through PNP. The provincial nominee programs allow individuals to settle into the provincial labour market.
The year 2018 will witness even more PNP immigration activity than in 2017, which has already been the busiest year. In the beginning of 2018, Alberta is set to join provinces and territories in offering an enhanced express entry stream. Anyhow, the exact criteria for the Alberta stream are unclear until now. In the recent months, many provinces have made tweaks and changes to their own PNP programs. For example, Ontario has targeted candidates for IT occupations, Saskatchewan has expanded its occupation demand list, Nova Scotia reopened the popular Express Entry ‘Demand’ stream and British Columbia launched a Tech Pilot stream targeting IT professionals.
The province of Quebec will also continue to welcome 94,000 skilled workers and business immigrants over the next three years.
Reuniting Families
Canada still aims to reunite families as part of its multi-year immigration levels plan. The target is to reunite around 265,000 spouses, common-law partners, dependent children, parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents through the family class programs. Each year this target will increase slightly.
On the humanitarian and compassionate grounds, 3,500 individuals are set to obtain permanent residency in Canada.
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