On February 14th, 2022, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada released its immigration level plan for 2022 to 2024. The new targets show plans for a significant increase in Canada's immigration levels over the next few years.
In 2021, Canada welcomed over 405,000 new permanent residents – more than in any previous year in its history. The new immigration targets surpass this record number, as IRCC aims to accept 431,645 permanent residents in 2022, 447,055 in 2023, and 451,000 in 2024. These numbers slightly exceed Canada's stated goal of welcoming approximately 1% of its population in new immigrants every year.
The new immigration levels specifically plan for a significant increase in the number of new permanent resident visas granted under the Federal Business class, which includes both the start-up visa program and the self-employed visa program. IRCC aims to increase the number of new permanent resident visas granted under this category by 50% during the 2022-2024 period. This planned expansion of the program is consistent with the continuous growth seen by the program since its inception in 2015.
The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Mr. Sean Fraser, highlighted the importance of immigration in the economic development of Canada in a press release accompanying the report:
"Immigration has helped shape Canada into the country it is today. From farming and fishing to manufacturing, healthcare and the transportation sector, Canada relies on immigrants. We are focused on economic recovery, and immigration is the key to getting there. Setting bold new immigration targets, as outlined in the 2022-2024 Levels Plan, will further help bring the immeasurable contribution of immigrants to our communities and across all sectors of the economy."
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