Maple News reports that Canada’s intake of new permanent residents experienced another significant drop this fall, as the country continues to grapple with the ripple effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), only 15,025 new immigrants gained permanent residency in September 2020. This marks a sharp decline from the 35,000 arrivals recorded in the same month the previous year, underscoring the ongoing impact of border closures and disrupted immigration operations.
Between January and September 2020, approximately 143,500 individuals were granted permanent residency in Canada — a steep drop compared to 264,000 during the same period in 2019. At this rate, Canada is unlikely to reach 200,000 new immigrants by the end of the year, far below the initial 2020 target of 341,000 set before the pandemic began.
Several factors caused the significant downturn. The pandemic has wreaked havoc across operations, delaying essential steps in the immigration process such as biometric collection, visa processing, and language testing. In addition, thousands of individuals who already had confirmation of permanent residence (COPR) are still stuck abroad, unable to enter Canada due to expired documents or tough travel restrictions.
Crucially, Canada’s current pandemic-era travel rules do not permit entry for most individuals who received their COPRs after March 18, 2020, unless they meet strict exemption criteria. This has left many would-be newcomers stranded and uncertain about their future in Canada.
Despite these setbacks, Canadian authorities remain firmly committed to maintaining high immigration levels in the long term. Just weeks ago, Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino unveiled an ambitious 2021–2023 Immigration Levels Plan. Under the plan, Canada aims to bring in over 400,000 new immigrants annually — the highest targets in Canadian history — in an effort to compensate for the shortfall in 2020 and to support economic recovery.
While the current slowdown reflects the extraordinary circumstances of the global health crisis, Maple News notes that Canada’s long-term immigration strategy remains bold and optimistic. The government sees immigration as a critical driver of economic growth, innovation, and demographic stability, especially as the country recovers from the pandemic.