(Ottawa) At least 431,645 new permanent residents settled in Canada in 2022, more than any other year in the country’s history.
Posted at 2:04 p.m
In a Tuesday press release, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed that it had met its target of 431,645 new permanent residents for 2022, without giving the exact figure.
The latest data available on the federal government’s website shows that between January and October inclusive, 387,560 newcomers had settled in the country, including 57,450 in Quebec.
According to Ottawa, meeting the 2022 goal “represents the highest number of people enrolled in a single year in Canadian history.” The previous record is from 2021 with 406,040.
Prior to the 2021 record, the last time Canada received such a large number of new arrivals was in 1913, IRCC said.
The ministry has also said it aims to further beat its own record, while aiming for 2023 to welcome 465,000 new permanent immigrants. This will be followed by 485,000 in 2024 and 500,000 in 2025.
“Newcomers play an important role in addressing labor shortages, bringing new perspectives and talent to our communities and enriching our society as a whole,” said Secretary of State for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser.
The minister also wanted to thank his ministry’s staff, who processed 5.2 million applications for permanent residence, temporary residence and citizenship in 2022, almost double the number in 2021.
The department has also added resources, introduced new technologies and simplified processes to improve its efficiency in processing applications. In its fall economic statement, the federal government also pledged to grant IRCC an additional $50 million in 2022-23 to help it clear application backlogs and speed up processing of files.
“These changes are important improvements to Canada’s immigration system that will position us well for the future. As the Canadian government focuses on addressing today’s severe labor shortages and building a strong economy for the future, one thing is certain: immigration is a critical part of the solution,” IRCC said in its statement.
Immigration accounts for nearly 100% of Canada’s labor force growth, and about 75% of Canada’s population growth is attributable to immigration, the ministry said. By 2036, immigrants will make up 30% of Canada’s population, up from 20.7% in 2011.
According to the ministry, immigrants also make up 36% of doctors, 33% of salaried entrepreneurs and 41% of engineers.