Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has significantly expanded its outreach to stakeholders in preparation for Canada’s 2024–2026 Immigration Levels Plan. According to documents obtained through an Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) request, IRCC invited 4,780 stakeholders to participate in an online survey between July 10 and August 4, 2023. This is nearly double the number from 2022, when 2,867 stakeholders were consulted.
Out of the 2023 invitees, 633 stakeholders responded to the survey, which focused on perceptions of Canada’s current immigration levels and suggestions for improvement. These consultations were conducted alongside ongoing discussions with all provincial and territorial governments.
Stakeholders consulted span a diverse range of sectors, including non-profit organizations, academic institutions, businesses, as well as settlement and resettlement service providers. These groups either support newcomers through integration services or rely on immigration to fill labour shortages and drive economic growth.
IRCC says this expanded consultation is part of a broader effort to develop a more comprehensive, “whole-of-government” approach through its new Strategic Immigration Plan. This plan seeks to better align immigration targets with Canada’s labour market needs and economic priorities.
One notable insight from the consultations is that non-profit, charitable, and non-governmental organizations achieved the highest participation rate at 30%. Business entities and settlement organizations followed, each with response rates slightly above 17%.
The increase in engagement reflects the growing emphasis on stakeholder-informed policymaking as Canada navigates record-high immigration targets. By integrating more voices from communities that directly interact with newcomers, IRCC aims to increase public confidence in immigration policies while improving newcomers’ long-term success in Canada.
This initiative comes at a time when Canada continues to rely on immigration as a key driver of population growth, labour force sustainability, and overall economic development.
According to Maple News, these consultative processes not only inform current immigration planning but also help shape future reforms to key programs like Express Entry and regional economic immigration pathways, ensuring they are responsive to evolving social and economic needs.