The Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser revealed on March 31, 2022, that more than 108,000 immigrants became new permanent residents of Canada during the first three months of the year.
The target for Canadian immigration during 2022 is a record 431,645 new permanent residents, so Canada is already well on its way to reaching this historic goal.
During 2021, the Canadian immigration goal was 401,000 new permanent residents, however, 405,000 immigrants were actually approved to live, study and work in Canada for an unlimited time period.
Furthermore, 210,000 immigrants were approved to become Canadian citizens in 2021, exceeding expectations, according to the news release issued by the Government of Canada.
Canadian permanent residents who live in Canada for three years within a five-year period and who satisfy other eligibility criteria can apply to become Canadian citizens.
In addition to the record number of people approved for immigration to Canada in 2021, close to 560,000 international students were issued Canadian study permits that same year, which is a 32% increase over the 2019 levels.
Canada is one of the most popular countries for international students.
Hundreds of thousands of foreign students choose to study in Canada, because it welcomes newcomers with open arms; several Canadian universities are listed among the top 100 best universities in the world (such as the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia, among others); Canada has spectacular scenery and many activities that young people enjoy; and eligible international students have the option to live and work in Canada after graduation.
Immigration to Canada
Of course, Canada also attracts over 400,000 immigrants from around the globe each year, because it is a beautiful country that welcomes immigrants; there are abundant Canadian job opportunities available to foreign workers; people who work in Canada generally earn high salaries; Canadian permanent residents and citizens receive universal public healthcare; there is a high standard of living in Canada; immigrants can attend quality education programs; immigrant entrepreneurs can start their own business; and Canadian citizenship is available after only three years.
Canada’s Government has recently invested $85 million CAD to make the immigration process more efficient, in order to reduce how long it takes for immigrants to be approved for Canadian permanent residency and to provide a higher level of service overall.
The Express Entry system was also established to speed up the process.
Skilled foreign workers who qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Provincial Nominee Program, Canadian Experience Class Program or Federal Skilled Trades Program can file an online Express Entry profile, which informs the Canadian immigration agency that they would like to apply for immigration to Canada.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program is for skilled immigrants whose occupation usually requires a university degree and is based on a points system in which 67 out of 100 points is needed.
Foreign workers who want to live and work in a specific province or territory in Canada (other than Quebec) can apply for immigration to Canada through the Provincial Nominee Program.
International students and temporary foreign workers already living in Canada and who meet the eligibility requirements can apply to become permanent residents through the Canadian Experience Class Program.
Foreign skilled tradespeople (such as bakers, butchers, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, etc.) who want to live and work in Canada permanently can apply for the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Once the Express Entry candidate receives an Invitation to Apply, they have 60 days to file their Application for Canadian Permanent Residency and then a decision about whether to approve them for immigration to Canada is normally made within six months.
Conclusion
Canada’s economy has quickly recovered from the global pandemic, the unemployment rate is only 5.5 percent, hundreds of thousands of Canadian jobs are available to foreign workers, and the government is trying to expedite immigration to Canada.
The Canadian immigration target for 2021 was surpassed by an extra 4,000 new permanent residents (a total of 405,000) and already, more than 108,000 immigrants have become permanent residents of Canada in the first quarter of 2022.
For anyone who has ever wanted to live and work in Canada as a permanent resident or dreamed of receiving Canadian citizenship, now is the opportune time to apply for immigration to Canada!
