Just like in any other government in the world, the impact of COVID-19 has been felt across different sectors in the Canadian government. One area affected is the immigration department that saw a decline is the number of immigrants entering the country. The month of April admitted only 4,100 permanent residents to Canada. In a regular month, Canada often accepts between 25,000 – 35,000 immigrants seeking for the much needed permanent residence status.
The figure represents the only group that completed the application process due to the disruption caused by the global pandemic. The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data show that March 2020 saw a decline of 26 percent. April, on the other hand, was the worst hit with a drop of 78 percent.
The latest IRCC provides a clear picture of the coronavirus pandemic that has devastated Canada’s immigrant impact in 2020. Since March, the country immigration levels declined, and April reduced further. It is anticipated the drop could be witnessed in May. The government, however, remains determined to welcome more foreign workers into the country.
COVID-19 And The Immigration Application Process
Due to global special measures imposed to curb the pandemic’s risk, most IRCC worked remotely to keep the process going. However, most prospective applicants experienced difficulties in getting their application approved. Besides, restriction to movement canceled flights, and closure of national boundaries significantly challenged the process.
The immigration data for previous years are yet to be released, but the April 2020 intake will be the lowest since World War II. Despite the impact of the pandemic, the IRCC remains persistent with the 2020-2022 Immigration Level Plan. Besides, it aims at welcoming more than 340,000 immigrates yearly for the next few years. Though Canada remains determined to achieve the 2020 permanent resident target, the process seems unlikely due to the global impact caused by the virus.
