Canada Announces 2021-2023 Immigration plan

The Trudeau government has announced its plan to improve the economy through immigration.  Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Marco Mendocino tabled his government’s plan immigration over the next two in Parliament.

It’s a plan driven by COVID-19, and the economic recovery.  “Immigration is essential to getting us through the pandemic but also our short-term economic recovery and our long-term economic growth.  Canadians have seen how newcomers are playing an outsized role in our hospitals and care homes, and helping us to keep food on the table.”  Mendcino said. 25% of workers in the health sector are immigrants, according to the federal government.

Highlights of the 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

The plan was tabled in Parliament on Friday.  To see the details on the plan click here