The Immigration Levels Plan 2024–2026 was announced on November 1st by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
For the following three years, the plan establishes an objective for the number of admissions to Canada as permanent residents.
In 2024, Canada plans to accept 485,000 new permanent residents, and in 2025 and 2026, it will accept 500,000 each year.
The idea, according to Immigration Minister Marc Miller, will stabilize the number of immigrants entering Canada, which has alarmed a lot of Canadians.
According to a recent Environics Institute survey, Canadians are not as supportive of higher immigration levels as they were in the past. According to the report, individuals who had stopped supporting the government expressed concern over housing affordability in Canada.
The Minister acknowledges these worries and states that an extensive strategy will be implemented to ensure that Canada’s current population receives backing while also meeting the country’s labor force needs.
In an official statement, the Minister said, “We understand that due consideration must be given to housing, infrastructure planning, and sustainable population growth. With this plan, we are achieving the right balance between advancing Canada’s economic growth and upholding our humanitarian heritage, encouraging immigration of Francophones, and fostering more cooperation in level planning with our partners. Canada will always be a welcoming country that helps immigrants start afresh.”
What Benefits Will The Levels Plan Have For Canada’s Workforce?
The day after the IRCC published an updated report outlining the department’s revised immigration strategy, the Immigration Levels Plan for 2024–2026 was submitted.
The report places a strong emphasis on encouraging Canada’s labor force expansion. In light of this, during the next three years, more than 60% of new immigrants will arrive through economic class immigration channels, such as managed Express Entry programs, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), or other local economic immigration initiatives.
Canada will accept 281,135 economic newcomers in 2024, and 301,250 in the following two years.
A “whole-of-government” method for immigration is another component of the IRCC’s new approach. Under this approach, the IRCC talks with partners, government departments, and stakeholders to gain a greater understanding of the skills required and the number of newcomers necessary to address the skills shortage, which includes provincial governments.
This strategy will assist IRCC in determining whether immigrants will receive adequate support upon arrival.
In addition, the Strategic Program states that the IRCC intends to collaborate with partners to enhance international credential recognition to facilitate the application of talents by more immigrants, thereby contributing to the large number of skilled immigrants.
Additionally, it intends to raise awareness of financial aid programs—including loans—that can assist immigrants in covering the expenses related to the credential recognition procedure.
