300,000 immigrants to be welcomed in 2017, according to new Immigration Plan
Over the summer, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a series of consultations Canadians from coast to coast to coast on the future of immigration, its impact on the economy and building diverse, inclusive communities. As a result, IRCC has announced an immigration plan for 2017, which will welcome 300,000 immigrants. “Through wide-ranging consultations we heard from Canadians on what immigration means to them and how we can continue nation building,” according to an IRCC press release. “The 2017 levels plan is a thoughtful, responsible approach that takes into consideration Canada’s need for more immigrants while balancing our fiscal responsibilities.”
“The 2017 levels plan will put Canada in a strong position for the future and support our overall economic and social development as a country,” says John McCallum, minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship
Immigration plays an important role in keeping Canada competitive in a global economy, helping offset the impacts of an aging population and the fact that the number of people in Canada’s labour force will soon be in decline. In fact, immigration will soon account for all net labour force growth as the number of retirements outpaces the number of Canadian youth joining the labour market. For these reasons, the Government has established 300,000 as a new baseline for permanent resident admissions with the majority of these selected as economic immigrants.
Within this plan, the number of permanent residents selected in economic programs will increase. Though planned admissions of resettled refugees will decrease when compared to the extraordinary levels in 2016, they will continue to remain among the highest in Canada’s history. Maintaining the Government’s commitment to family reunification, the 2017 plan also sees an increase to family class levels, which will help to reduce processing times and reunite more families.
2017 Immigration Plan by the numbers
Immigration class
2016 target
2017 target
Economic Includes applicants and accompanying family members in federal programs in the Express Entry system; the Provincial Nominee Program; business immigrants; caregivers; and skilled workers and business immigrants selected by Quebec
160,600
172,500
Family Includes sponsored spouses, partners and children and parents and grandparents
80,000
84,000
Refugees and Protected Persons Includes both resettled refugees (government assisted and privately sponsored) as well as protected persons who become permanent residents
55,800
40,000
Humanitarian and Compassionate and Other Includes persons selected on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, for reasons of public policy and in the Permit Holder Class.
3,600
3,500
TOTAL
300,000
300,000
