Canada’s Immigration Level Plans in 2022

Canada has welcomed more than 300,000 immigrants under the Express Entry program. The country welcomes around 0.9 percent of its population – through new immigrants – every year.

After welcoming 2.8 million newcomers between 2010-2019, Canada now aims to add in another 3.5 million newcomers this decade – starting with 320,000 immigrants in 2018 and over 341,000 immigrants in 2019, Canada aims to welcome 341000 candidates in 2020, 351000 in 2021 and around 341,000 in 2022.

On 12th March 2020, Canada’s 2020-2022 immigration level plans were made public. It talks about welcoming over a million newcomers as permanent residents. Never before has the decision of all plans and related information for the year 2022 made public.

To allow stakeholders to have enough time to plan through social and economic integration of the immigrants, Canada follows an approach of moderately expanding its immigration levels by setting multi-year plans.

Canada engages in high levels of immigration because of its low birth rates. According to statistics, approximately more than 9 million Canadian citizens will reach their retirement age within the next ten years. a weak labor force will result in immense pressures on economic growth. To support the economy and lessen fiscal burdens, Canada welcomes more and more immigrants each year.

The country is focusing on the economic class for immigration now, with an aim to welcome 10,000 immigrants from this category every year. The majority of the candidates or around 58% will apply via programs of the Provincial Nominee Program, Express Entry, and Quebec’s programs.

Application via various pilots like Atlantic Immigration Pilot, Agri-Food Immigration Pilot, and the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot will also have larger scopes.  Out of the rest, 16 percent of the candidates will gain admission on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, and 26 percent will belong to the family class.