Immigration to Canada: Canada says it hopes to add 411,000 new permanent residents next year.
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said Canada has reached its goal of granting 401,000 foreign nationals permanent residency by 2021 by focusing its efforts on temporary residents already in the country.
Canada, which depends on immigration to boost its economy and support an aging population, has seen the number of new permanent residents drop by more than 45% to 185,000 in 2020, as borders are closed. largely due to COVID-19.
The majority of the 401,000 new permanent residents – the number has been reached for the first time in more than a century – were in Canada with temporary status, according to a statement from the Immigration Minister.
“Last year, we set an ambitious goal. Today, we achieved it,” Fraser said.
Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has relied on immigration to boost Canada’s economy since coming to power in 2015, setting an annual target of about 1% of the country’s nearly 38 million population.
The government said it hopes to add 411,000 new permanent residents next year.
Official data released earlier on Thursday showed the Canadian economy likely expanded for a sixth straight month in November, coming very close to pre-pandemic levels.
