Canada set a new immigration record last year with more than 430,000 permanent residents arriving in the country.
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said in a news release Tuesday that the federal government has reached its goal of welcoming 431,645 new permanent residents in 2022. Ottawa beat its previous record set in 2021 when Canada welcomed more than 401,000 new permanent residents.
The previous immigration record was set in 1913 when Canada welcomed more than 400,000 newcomers, Statistics Canada data shows.
“Today marks an important milestone for Canada, setting a new record for newcomers welcomed in a single year. It is a testament to the strength and resilience of our country and its people,” Fraser said in the release.
“Newcomers play an essential role in filling labor shortages, bringing new perspectives and talents to our communities, and enriching our society as a whole. I am excited to see what the future holds and look forward to another historic year in 2023 as we continue to welcome newcomers.”
In 2022, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) processed roughly 5.2 million applications for permanent residence, temporary residence, and citizenship — double the number of applications processed in 2021, the news release added.
IRCC has added resources, embraced new technology, streamlined processing, and brought more processes online, the release said.
“These changes are all important improvements to Canada’s immigration system, which will position us well for the future,” it added.
“As the Government of Canada focuses on addressing the acute labor market shortages we are facing today and building a strong economy into the future, one thing remains certain: immigration is a key part of the solution.”
According to the government, immigration accounts for almost 100 percent of Canada’s labor force growth. Roughly 75 percent of Canada’s population growth comes from immigration, mostly in the economic category.
By 2036, Ottawa says immigrants will represent up to 30 percent of Canada’s population, compared with 20.7 percent in 2011.
By 2025, the federal government wants to see 500,000 people arrive in Canada per year, Fraser revealed on Nov. 1, 2022. Ottawa envisions an increase in immigrants that will see 465,000 people arrive in 2023, rising to 500,000 in 2025, with a heavy emphasis on admitting people based on work skills or experience.
Speaking with Global News in a year-end interview, Housing Minister Ahmed Hussen said Canada needs many skilled immigrants to help in the construction sector.
Job vacancies are expected to plague the construction industry in the coming years due to a wave of expected retirements, industry experts have previously told Global News.
“We know there is over a million jobs in Canada that remain unfilled, so we need immigrants, skilled immigrants, to come in and help us fill those unfilled jobs and help us grow our economy,” he said. “In addition to that, the irony is we actually need more people, skilled immigrants, to also help us in the building trades and the construction sector of our economy.
“We need those workers to actually come in and help us build the housing that Canadians need.”
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