While Canada’s would-be immigrants waited for the 2018 Immigration Plan, the Canadian government was striving for something bigger. On November 1, 2017, the multi-year Immigration Levels Plan, detailing Canada’s “one million target” for immigration by 2020, was introduced in the House of Commons. The plan reveals that 310,000 permanent residents will be invited to Canada as permanent residents in 2018, 330,000 newcomers in 2019, and more than 340,000 have the opportunity to make Canada their permanent home in 2020.
Certainly, as Canada’s Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen calls it “these are the most ambitious immigration levels in recent Canadian history.” In this same context, at a press conference in Toronto, the Immigration Minister said “This historic multi-year immigration levels plan will benefit all Canadians because immigrants will contribute their talents to support our economic growth and innovation, helping to keep our country at the forefront of the global economy.“, Minister Hussen declared at a press conference in Toronto.
Express applicants: next year comes with everything good for you
While 2017 has been a wonderful year for most Express Entry applicants, 2018 will hold all the treasures. With a higher target set for next year, CRS cutoff thresholds can be expected to decrease and provinces to open more frequently.
According to the figures, almost 565,000 candidates will be admitted to Canada through economic programs in the next three years. Canada Express Entry has played a great role in meeting Canada’s need for skilled workers at a faster pace. Since its introduction in 2015, it has seen nothing but more improvements that led to more flexible entry for immigrants. We cannot but say that Canada Express Entry 2017 was a significant year during which the largest number of ITAs were issued for Canada PR in history.
Figures 1: Estimating the Express Entry Goal
Year 2018- 74,900 (4% increase)
Year 2019- 81,400 (9% increase)
Year 2020- 85,800 (5% increase)
The power of the Provincial Nomination to obtain superior
2017 has been a busy year for the provinces. From January to date, several provinces have opened wide to invite large numbers of candidates. They went out of their way to make eligible candidates part of their economy by voting for their skills and talents through certificates of nomination.
While that’s the story of the past, next year has something more unique. Under the plan, about 184,000 economic immigrants and their accompanying family members will have the opportunity to enter Canada PR through the Provincial Nominee Programs in the coming years. What’s more, the provinces will go the extra mile to make things easier for candidates next year. Alberta’s recent announcement to align one of its AINP streams with Canada Express Entry is evidence enough to raise new hope.
Figure 2: Provincial nomination estimate
Year 2018- 55,000 (8% increase)
Year 2019- 61,000 (11% increase)
Year 2020- 67,800 (11% increase)
Another Blessing in Disguise: Quebec’s Immigration Plan for 2018
Now, Quebec is back in the immigration race. The province of Quebec, which operates as a single entity and has its own immigration policies, is expected to open in 2018 for new applications. As of the published plan, the province will accept 94,000 applications from skilled workers and business immigrants in the next three years. This means that candidates who have been dreaming of a permanent stay in Quebec, now is their time. Get ready with your applications now so you can have instant admission during submission.
From Immigrant-Friendly to Immigrant-Full-Canada goals
According to the 2016 Canada Census, about 22% of Canada’s population is made up of first-generation immigrants. Among these, many have become naturalized citizens. With people’s growing interest in Canada and government efforts to invite newcomers into the country at a faster rate, we can expect that by 2036, the proportion of immigrants in Canada’s population will reach 30% of the total population. providing millions of skilled workers, entrepreneurs and their families with the joy of living in Canada and the benefits of international permanent residence status.
