Maple News reports that Canada’s Immigration Minister, Marco Mendicino, has signaled a potential increase to the cap on a new temporary-to-permanent residency program, launched to support the country’s post-pandemic economic recovery. This follows an overwhelming response from applicants, just days after the program’s official launch.
“I’m open to discussion on whether or not to review the current caps,” Mendicino stated, suggesting flexibility in Canada’s immigration targets. However, he emphasized the need to first assess incoming application data—including quality and volume—before making any changes. “At that point, I will certainly have a much greater line of sight on whether or not there may be a need to revisit the caps,” he added.
Launched on May 6, the program offers six unique pathways to permanent residency for individuals already living in Canada under temporary status. These categories include international graduates, essential workers, healthcare professionals, and French-speaking or bilingual candidates.
Within just over 24 hours, the stream targeting international graduates reached its maximum of 40,000 applications, showcasing the immense demand. Meanwhile, nearly 10,000 applications have poured into two other streams for essential and healthcare workers, from a combined cap of 50,000. In contrast, the programs tailored to French-speaking or bilingual applicants, which remain uncapped and open until November 2021, have seen relatively modest participation so far.
This initiative is part of Canada’s broader strategy to meet its ambitious immigration target of admitting over 400,000 new permanent residents in 2021—an effort aimed at fueling economic growth in the wake of COVID-19 disruptions.
The pandemic has caused significant backlogs and delays in immigration processing. In response, the Canadian government is not only launching new programs but also accelerating digital transformation efforts. As outlined in the recent federal budget, nearly $430 million has been allocated to overhauling the existing Global Case Management System (GCMS) with a new, modern digital platform. This upgrade is expected to streamline application processes and improve efficiency across immigration and citizenship services.
These reforms mark a pivotal chapter in Canada’s immigration policy, reinforcing the nation’s commitment to reopening its borders to skilled talent and addressing labor market gaps through immigration.
Maple News will continue to monitor developments as the government reviews the effectiveness of the new program and considers whether to expand capacity.