The government of Canada has announced plans to on board over 1.2 million immigrants over the next three years in a bid to boost the country’s economic recovery from the impacts of COVID-19 through immigration.
The announcement was made recently by Immigration Minister, Marco Mendicino while talking about Canada’s Immigration Levels Plans for 2021-2023.
While speaking during a news conference in Ottawa, Mendicino disclosed that the federal government plans to accept 401,000 new immigrants 2021, 411,000 immigrants in 2022 and 421,000 in 2023.
He also said that the numbers aim to compensate for this year’s shortfall of about one percent of Canada’s population that happened due to the pandemic.
He also remarked that immigrants grow the population and economic growth that is important for important vital programs like health care.
He said: “Put simply, we need more workers, and immigration is the way to get there.
“Before the pandemic, our government’s goal to drive the economy forward through immigration was ambitious. Now it’s simply vital.”
The minister expressed his confidence that the government is capable of meeting the targets in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, by finding a way around travel restrictions while abiding by safety measures like compulsory quarantines for immigrants that are coming in.
He said: With nearly 60 percent of all new admissions in the economic class, our plan will continue to focus on Canada’s economic growth.”
The breakdown of 2021 plan includes 232,000 immigrants in the economic class, 103,500 in the family clas, 59,500 refugees and protected persons and 5,500 on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
