Why Canada's 401,000 Immigration Target is Achievable

Key Highlights:

• Overview
• February 13 Express Entry Draw
• Rationale behind the Draw
• Why the Target is Achievable

On October 30, 2020, the Canadian government announced its Immigration Levels Plan (ILP) target of welcoming 401,000 immigrants in 2021, 411,000 in 2022 and 421,000 in 2023. 

According to an expert at CIC News, achieving that target is challenging but still achievable.

February 13 Express Entry Draw

In the major part of 2020, Canada was inviting around 3,500 candidates through the Express Entry Draws. It then broke the record by inviting 5000 candidates in the last four draws by the year-end.

However, the Express Entry Draw held on February 13 invited a stunning 27,333 to apply for permanent residence. This extraordinary draw shows that Canada is prepared to take on that challenge and achieve the target.

Rationale behind the Draw

Given the size of the draw, the IRCC felt the need to explain their reasoning behind it. 

It explained that around 90% of the candidates falling under Canada Experience Class (CEC) were living in Canada during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Therefore, they are less likely to face Covid-19-related immigration disruptions that their counterparts living in other countries.

The biggest reason for holding this massive draw is because they believe they can achieve the ILM target by focusing on candidates currently living in the country.

Why the Target is Achievable

The plan requires welcoming 60% of the immigrants through the economic class, 15% through refugee & humanitarian class and 25% under the family class.

Canada can meet the economic class' target by transitioning those already staying in Canada to permanent resident status. Moreover, IRCC can augment it by also inviting skilled workers who are exempt from travel restrictions.

Most immigrants under the family class are exempt from the travel restrictions, while some are already in Canada and waiting for IRCC to process their applications.

Moreover, around half of the country's refugee quota is filled by the asylum claimants already in the country. 

This leaves over 40,000 unsettled refugees whom Canada can find challenging to welcome due to the travel restrictions. IRCC can instead use this shortfall to invite more candidates through economic class and family class.