Maple News reports that Canada welcomed more than 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021—a historic achievement that marks the highest number of newcomers in a single year since the country’s founding in 1867. This also represents the first time since 1913 that Canada has crossed the 400,000-immigrant threshold.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed the milestone, noting it surpassed its Immigration Levels Plan for 2021. The previous record from over a century ago was disrupted by the outbreak of the First World War, which significantly slowed immigration.
Originally, Canada had planned to admit 341,000 immigrants in 2020. However, pandemic-related restrictions and global travel disruptions led to only 184,000 arrivals that year. In response, the federal government set an ambitious target of 401,000 newcomers for 2021 to drive economic recovery and address workforce gaps.
To overcome ongoing pandemic challenges, IRCC shifted its focus inward, concentrating on transitioning temporary residents already in Canada—such as international students and temporary foreign workers—into permanent residents. This strategic change allowed Canada to meet its targets despite limited international mobility.
Before COVID-19, around 70% of new immigrants arrived from outside Canada. In 2021, this was reversed, with approximately 70% of permanent residency landings coming from within the country. Only about 30% of new immigrants in 2021 arrived directly from overseas.
IRCC facilitated the transition with targeted policy shifts, such as prioritizing candidates from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) in the Express Entry draws. Additionally, it introduced six new immigration streams in May aimed at providing permanent residency pathways to up to 90,000 temporary residents, including international students and essential workers.
This record-breaking year underscores Canada’s ongoing commitment to immigration as a driver of economic resilience and population growth, especially in the context of post-pandemic recovery. The federal government is expected to continue setting high immigration targets in the years ahead to meet labor market needs and support demographic sustainability.
Maple News continues to monitor IRCC policy updates and immigration trends to keep our readers informed.