Canada will aim to welcome over 400,000 new immigrants each year to support the country’s high living standards. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Canada is on track to achieve its high immigration targets in 2021.
This comprehensive Canada Visa page outlines everything that you need to know about the plan, why Canada welcomes high levels of immigration, and the impact of COVID-19.
In Canada, they value their international students very much. Aside from contributing over $21 billion to their economy every year, they bring youth, diversity, and vitality to the communities across the country in which they live and study. Then they graduate, and some, if not most, find profitable employment and want to continue living in Canada.
This has always been possible through a number of Canadian immigration programs, most notably the Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP). In 2020 saw a great number of students’ intentions to start working and gain experience in Canada adversely affected by the global pandemic, and thus a solution was proposed.
In January this year the honourable Marco Mendocino, Canadian minister of immigration, unveiled the new Canadian public immigration policy for international students. Former students who hold or held a PGWP will be able to apply for an open work permit.
Why Canada need Immigrants:
Canada welcomes high levels of immigration to keep its economy strong. Canada has one of the world’s oldest populations and also one of the world’s lowest birth rates. This creates economic and fiscal pressures. Canada has a low rate of natural population growth which results in low rates of labour force and economic growth. Low economic growth makes it difficult for Canada to raise the taxes it needs to support social spending on services such as education, health care, and other important areas that provide high living standards in the country.
As a result, Canada has been increasing its immigration levels since the late 1980s to increase its rate of population, labour force, and economic growth. Canada now depends on immigration for the majority of its population and labour force growth and a larger share of its economic growth.
Consider that Canada will have 9 million baby boomers reach the retirement age of 65 by the year 2030. This means that Canada will have fewer workers at a time when its social spending on health care will rise. To alleviate this challenge, Canada has been proactive by gradually raising its immigration targets for over 30 years now.
Based on its demographic realities and its immigration trends, it appears likely that Canada will continue to gradually increase its immigration levels over the foreseeable future. Immigration will remain critical to supporting a healthy economy and fiscal situation in the country.