Although Canada’s economic recovery has been one of the strongest seen among advanced Countries post Covid-19, new critical labour market shortages are now threatening to create new uncertainties for Canadian businesses overall.
Canada’s 2023–2025 Migration Levels Plan
Last year, Canada welcomed almost 400,000 new immigrants, making it the largest immigration intake in Canadian history.
On November 1, 2022, the Honourable Sean Frasier, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, noted IRCC's pledge to surpass this number through the release of Canada’s 2023–2025 Migration Levels Plan.
What the Migration Level Plan Involves
As the Honourable Sean Frasier noted, immigration is one of Canada's main ways to address the Country’s current labour shortages and attract the skilled workers necessary to expand key sectors. Thus, through IRCC's newest plan, they aim to cover a multitude of topics which will focus on economic growth and supplying key sectors, such as health care, with employees who possess the necessary skills and qualifications those sectors require.
Specifically, Canada’s 2023–2025 Migration Levels Plan aims to
Focus on long term economic growth, aiming for over 60% of admissions to the economic class being approved by 2025.
Implement new features into the Express Entry System to welcome skilled workers in sectors facing acute labour shortages such as healthcare, manufacturing, construction, and STEM research.
Reunite more families faster through new and more efficient family reunification programs.
Support Global Crisis situations by providing a safe place for refugees to live, learn, and work; particularly through the expansion of the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot.
Ensure that at least 4.4 percent of new Permanent Residents admitted into Provinces aside from Québec still qualify as Francophones, thereby, ensuring the vitality and prosperity of Francophone regions outside of Quebec, and
Increase the total number of permanent residents to 465,000 in 2023, 484,000 in 2024 and 495,000 in 2025. A further breakdown of target numbers can be found here.
The Minister also noted that through IRCC's new 2023–2025 Migration Levels Plan, IRCC intends to increase economic immigration programs in regions more affected by local labour shortages as a means to alleviate those regional labour problems.
Overall, a key part of this plan focuses on strengthening Canada's immigration system from within and spreading the benefits of immigration to regions throughout Canada. If successful, this plan will help Canada secure its position as one of the most attractive countries for skilled people from across the world, creating a solid foundation for future economic growth in the meantime, while also fulfilling Canada’ s humanitarian obligations by bringing families together. For further details on this plan specifically, please click here.
Closing Comments
The Canadian economy recovery effort from the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the fastest globally. With that said, the rapid recovery and expansion has left critical shortages and backlogs within the Canadian market and, seeing as Immigration accounts for almost 100% of Canada’s labour force growth, we must continue to look to IRCC to implement and advance current systems and procedures to effectively overcome economic challenges.
Over the past year, IRCC has made improvements to address key challenges faced by those using the immigration system, and, as seen by November 1st announcement, it is clear that they continue to streamline and digitalize Canada's immigration system to further expedite processing and give users the experience they expect and deserve.
Although only time will tell if this new Plan will succeed, IRCC's new 2023–2025 Migration Levels Plan provides a tangible solution for year-over-year growth. By continuing to support Provinces and Territories in attracting the skilled newcomers they need to address labour shortages and demographic challenges in their regions, and the sustainable growth of the country overall.
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This update has been compiled with the latest available information for the general information of Border Law clients and other interested parties. This Update is not comprehensive and should not be relied upon without appropriate legal advice.