Maple News reports that Canada welcomed 45,000 new permanent residents in September 2021, marking the highest monthly intake of immigrants in recent Canadian history. This impressive figure signals a significant rebound for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) after pandemic-related setbacks dramatically reduced immigration flows last year.
While historic records prior to modern tracking are incomplete, experts note that it is unlikely September’s figures were an all-time record. In previous centuries, most immigrants arrived in warmer months like May through July. For instance, approximately 80% of the 401,000 immigrants Canada welcomed in 1913 are believed to have landed during that period, averaging over 60,000 per month.
Nonetheless, September’s results show that Canada is gaining momentum in its bold effort to meet its 2021 immigration target of 401,000 new permanent residents—a figure set to match its all-time annual record from 1913.
This comes after an immigration slump triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2020, only 4,000 newcomers were recorded in what became the lowest monthly total in the modern era. Overall, the country ended 2020 short of its original target, landing just 184,000 immigrants for the year.
To recover from this gap and support economic growth, the Canadian government reset its immigration ambitions in 2021. Since June of this year, monthly arrivals have steadily climbed—from 35,000 in June to this record-setting 45,000 in September—showing clear progress toward meeting national goals.
A key element of this surge has been Canada’s strategic emphasis on transitioning temporary residents, such as international workers and students already present in the country, to permanent resident status. This policy helps minimize disruptions caused by international travel restrictions while continuing to meet demographic and labor needs.
Under Canadian immigration law, a ‘landing’ occurs when someone officially becomes a permanent resident. This can happen either at a port of entry from abroad or through status adjustment while residing in Canada. With current focus placed on in-country transitions, many of the recent landings have been from applicants already living in Canada.
This milestone highlights both the adaptability of Canada’s immigration system and the country’s continued commitment to growth through immigration.
As the year progresses, policymakers and immigration advocates will closely watch whether Canada sustains this momentum and ultimately meets its ambitious 2021 immigration target.