Canada welcomed approximately 39,500 new permanent residents in July 2021, marking one of the highest monthly immigration totals in its history, Maple News reports. The surge puts the country on a firm path toward meeting its ambitious goal of admitting 401,000 newcomers by the end of the year, according to Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino.
This progress follows another strong month in June, which saw about 35,700 new immigrants arrive. Combined, these figures signal Canada’s aggressive effort to make up for slowed immigration during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. So far in 2021, roughly 184,000 permanent residents have been welcomed.
Under the federal government’s Immigration Levels Plan for 2021–2023, Canada aims to attract over 400,000 new immigrants annually. This revised target, up from the pre-pandemic goal of 341,000, is part of the government’s strategy to support economic recovery and address labor shortages caused by the pandemic.
To achieve the 2021 target, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) still needs to land around 217,000 additional immigrants between August and December—equating to an average of 43,400 per month. While this is a daunting target compared to historical monthly averages of 25,000 to 35,000, officials believe it’s within reach.
One factor bolstering the effort is the recent easing of travel restrictions, which as of June 21 allows over 23,000 holders of Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) to enter Canada. These individuals had previously been approved for immigration but were unable to travel due to COVID-related measures.
With borders reopening and IRCC ramping up processing capacity, July’s strong immigration numbers suggest that Canada remains committed to its most ambitious immigration plan to date. The next few months will be critical as the government pushes to meet its historic immigration target by year’s end.
Maple News will continue to monitor IRCC updates and provide insights on how the country’s immigration strategy evolves.