An Immigration System for Canada’s Future
- Context


Immigration is a defining feature of Canada. It has contributed, and continues to contribute, to Canada’s economy and society in long-standing, meaningful ways. With the exception of Indigenous Peoples, who have called these lands home since time immemorial, everyone who lives in Canada is an immigrant or the descendant of an immigrant.

In the same way that immigration has created the Canada we all enjoy today, immigration is central to our future.

It’s important that we attract the people we need to grow Canada’s economy, support our diversity and strengthen our communities. We must serve those looking to come to our country in a way that is modern, efficient, fair and transparent while also maintaining the integrity of Canada’s borders. The combination of immigrant skills and talent, along with the great source of skills and talent already in our country, will help fill labour market needs now and into the future, foster innovation and fuel investment in our economy.

This is why Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) launched “An Immigration System for Canada’s Future.” In close collaboration with other government departments, we undertook extensive engagement to explore how Canada’s immigration policies and programs can support a shared vision for our country’s future.

“An Immigration System for Canada’s Future” is exploring how Canada’s immigration policies and programs can support a shared vision for Canada’s future.

Immigration cannot be considered in isolation. Welcoming newcomers is intrinsically linked to housing, health care, education and infrastructure in our communities. These important issues require continued and enhanced collaboration among all levels of government recognizing that, in particular, the challenge of finding affordable housing is acute for many Canadians and newcomers. Immigration can be part of the solution to challenges in these areas by bringing in people and innovative ideas to help address these challenges, and by reversing demographic trends, especially in small and rural communities that depend on immigration to drive population and economic growth. At the same time, we must continue to have a well-managed immigration system, one that has historically resulted in public support for immigration in Canada.

Canada’s immigration system is considered world class. However, population trends, migration patterns and international challenges are evolving. To maintain our country’s cultural vibrancy, resiliency and innovative and economic capacity, we must adapt to address the pressures.

Our current immigration system

The immigration system has been under strain. The COVID-19 pandemic caused shutdowns and operational delays around the world, and led to significant backlogs and processing delays. There has been significant progress, but there is still more work to do. IRCC has been exploring and implementing new digital solutions, adding processing resources and streamlining the way individuals apply for our services.

As a result, processing times for key categories of applications are decreasing.

Processing timesFootnote * (in months) of select permanent residence lines of business and citizenship grants, October 2021 to July 2023

Source: IRCC

Text version: Processing times (in months) of select permanent residence lines of business and citizenship grants, October 2021 to July 2023
Select permanent residence lines of business and citizenship grants Oct 2021 Apr 2022 Oct 2022 May 2023 July 2023
Quebec-selected skilled workers 26 31 22 20 17
Provincial Nominee Program 18 27 14 18 17
Provincial Nominee Program – Express Entry 6 22 15 10 9
Canadian Experience Class 6 9 19 5 5
Spouses, partners and children (except for Quebec) 18 19 16 14 13
Citizenship grants 26 27 24 19 18

Processing timesFootnote * (in days) of study permits and work permits, October 2021 to July 2023

Source: IRCC

Text version: Processing times (in days) of study permits and work permits, October 2021 to July 2023
Permit type Oct 2021 Apr 2022 Oct 2022 May 2023 July 2023
Study permits 106 81 90 46 48
Work permits 107 45 122 57 65

In addition, Canada continues to be a destination of choice for people all over the world. The number of people wanting to settle permanently in Canada, or wishing to study, visit or work here temporarily, is steadily increasing. The world has also faced unprecedented humanitarian crises due to world events, including the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, the war in Ukraine, the ongoing conflict in Syria, human rights violations in Iran, and conflict in Sudan. An increase in natural disasters, and events linked to a changing climate, like the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, will continue to create displacement and demand Canada’s immigration response.

As Canada is a country with people from all over the world, there are few global events that do not, in some way, impact Canadians.

There is an increasing need for the immigration system to be nimble and respond quickly. The main legislation that enables our immigration system, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, is over 20 years old, and the world has changed drastically. Our application processing system is also showing its age and limitations.

Informed by our partners and by those who have used the immigration system, we want to make sure Canada’s proud history of immigration is matched by a modern system that supports our economic recovery, improves the immigration experience, and strengthens our communities. Work to this end is already under way. For example, we’ve digitized many types of applications and we’ve introduced several application status trackers. These tools empower people with timely and accessible information on their files.

There is much to be accomplished, but we are well on our way to modernizing Canada’s immigration system.

Population

23%
of people in Canada are immigrants

According to the 2021 census, almost one in four people in Canada (23%) are immigrants—the largest percentage in Canada in 150 years and the highest among G7 countries.

Number and % of immigrants in Canada, 1871 to 2041

Text version: Number and % of immigrants in Canada, 1871 to 2041
Year Number of immigrants % of immigrants
1871 594,207 16.1%
1881 602,984 13.9%
1891 643,871 13.3%
1901 699,500 13.0%
1911 1,586,961 22.0%
1921 1,955,736 22.3%
1931 2,307,525 22.2%
1941 2,018,847 17.5%
1951 2,059,911 14.7%
1961 2,844,263 15.6%
1971 3,295,530 15.3%
1981 3,843,335 16.0%
1986 3,908,150 15.6%
1991 4,342,890 16.1%
1996 4,971,070 17.4%
2001 5,448,480 18.4%
2006 6,186,950 19.8%
2011 6,775,770 20.6%
2016 7,540,830 21.9%
2021 8,361,505 23.0%
2026 10,712,000 26.0%
2031 (Projected) 12,408,000 28.4%
2036 (Projected) 13,891,000 30.3%
2041 (Projected) 15,155,000 31.8%

Source: Census of Population, 1871 to 2006, 2016 and 2021 (3901); National Household Survey, 2011 (5178); Population projections on immigration and diversity for Canada and its regions, 2016 to 2041 (5126); the presented data are based on the reference scenario.

Immigration will drive 100% of population growth by 2032, while Canadian society continues to age.

Source: Statistics Canada. Table 17-10-0058-01  Components of projected population growth, by projection scenario (x 1,000).

#ImmigrationMatters

The strength of Canada’s economy is measured in part by the number of people working (known as the labour force) and paying taxes to fund our public services, such as health care.

Thanks to immigration, Canada’s labour force continues to grow every year. While funds for public services are vital, welcoming immigrants is also important in helping employers find qualified workers to fill jobs. Canadians are living longer and having fewer children, more people are retiring, and there are fewer students in schools. As a result, the pool of Canadian-born existing and potential workers is limited.

Source: #ImmigrationMatters, IRCC

Increasingly, it is becoming important to spread the benefits of economic immigration to smaller communities. Immigration can support provinces and territories in attracting the skilled newcomers they need to address labour shortages and demographic challenges in their regions. This includes supporting the vitality of Francophone communities outside of Quebec, which is not only a requirement in annual immigration levels planning, but remains an overarching goal of the Government of Canada.

Distribution (%) of recent immigrants in Canada, by census metropolitan area (CMA) and census year

Source: Statistics Canada. Table 98-10-0302-01  Immigrant status and period of immigration by place of birth and citizenship: Canada, provinces and territories and census metropolitan areas with parts.

Text version: Distribution (%) of recent immigrants in Canada, by census metropolitan area (CMA) and census year
Census metropolitan area (CMA) 2016 Census 2021 Census
Number % Number %
Toronto 356,930 29.4 391,680 29.5
Montréal 179,275 14.8 162,260 12.2
Vancouver 142,530 11.8 154,815 11.7
Calgary 93,260 7.7 85,615 6.4
Edmonton 78,520 6.5 74,700 5.6
Ottawa-Gatineau 38,015 3.1 58,295 4.4
Winnipeg 52,505 4.3 46,495 3.5
Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo 13,975 1.2 27,785 2.1
Hamilton 17,420 1.4 26,545 2
London 11,955 1 20,490 1.5
Other CMA 227,690 18.8 279,560 21.0
Non-CMA 92,645 7.6 101,275 7.6

Immigration trends update: Greater Moncton

According to a 2022 report on immigration in Greater Moncton, immigration is, by far, the top source of population growth in Greater Moncton. In 2020 and 2021, net interprovincial migration also increased and some of those migrants were immigrants who initially settled in Toronto and other parts of Canada.

This matters because in the new reality of aging populations and tightening labour markets, the jurisdictions that can show an ability to attract and retain talent from around the world will be the best poised to attract investment and grow.

Source: Immigration Trends Update: Greater Moncton (2022) (PDF, 550 KB)

Labour market context

Aging populations are not unique to Canada. In fact, much of the world is experiencing the same phenomenon. It means that our share of the working-age population is shrinking.

While 50 years ago, the worker-to-retiree ratio in Canada was 7 to 1, by 2027, it will be only 3 to 1.

Worker-to-retiree ratio in 5 scenarios

Source: Statistics Canada. Labour Force Survey, 1976 to 2017; Demosim microsimulation model, 2017 (2036).

Text version: Worker-to-retiree ratio in 5 scenarios
Year Observed Projection scenarios
Reference Low growth High growth Constant participation rates Slow growth after 50 years
Worker to retiree ratio
1976 6.17
1977 6.1
1978 6.11
1979 6.11
1980 6.07
1981 6.06
1982 5.93
1983 5.87
1984 5.82
1985 5.75
1986 5.64
1987 5.54
1988 5.46
1989 5.4
1990 5.3
1991 5.16
1992 5.03
1993 4.93
1994 4.9
1995 4.81
1996 4.77
1997 4.75
1998 4.74
1999 4.73
2000 4.72
2001 4.73
2002 4.81
2003 4.87
2004 4.84
2005 4.8
2006 4.74
2007 4.75
2008 4.74
2009 4.65
2010 4.61
2011 4.51
2012 4.4
2013 4.29
2014 4.17
2015 4.05 3.97 3.97 3.96 3.97 3.97
2016 3.95 3.87 3.88 3.87 3.87 3.87
2017 3.88 3.82 3.82 3.81 3.82 3.82
2018 N/A 3.74 3.73 3.73 3.7 3.72
2019 N/A 3.68 3.67 3.67 3.62 3.65
2020 N/A 3.61 3.6 3.6 3.54 3.58
2021 N/A 3.55 3.54 3.54 3.46 3.51
2022 N/A 3.48 3.46 3.47 3.37 3.42
2023 N/A 3.4 3.38 3.39 3.28 3.34
2024 N/A 3.33 3.3 3.32 3.2 3.26
2025 N/A 3.26 3.22 3.26 3.12 3.19
2026 N/A 3.19 3.15 3.19 3.04 3.11
2027 N/A 3.13 3.08 3.13 2.96 3.04
2028 N/A 3.06 3.01 3.06 2.89 2.97
2029 N/A 3.01 2.94 3.01 2.83 2.91
2030 N/A 2.96 2.88 2.96 2.77 2.85
2031 N/A 2.91 2.84 2.91 2.72 2.81
2032 N/A 2.88 2.8 2.88 2.68 2.77
2033 N/A 2.86 2.76 2.86 2.65 2.75
2034 N/A 2.83 2.73 2.84 2.62 2.72
2035 N/A 2.81 2.7 2.82 2.6 2.7
2036 N/A 2.79 2.68 2.8 2.58 2.67

Age and sex distribution of the population, 2021, Canada

Source: Statistics Canada. Age Pyramids.

Canada is facing both short-term and long-term labour market pressures, including labour shortages and demographic shifts due to an aging population. Immigration can help mitigate some of these pressures, along with investing in productivity and increasing the labour market participation of under-represented groups, including women, people with disabilities, racialized Canadians and Indigenous People.

Job vacancy rate

Current job vacancies (Q2 2023):

780,200

Source: Statistics Canada

#ImmigrationMatters

Immigrants deliver and improve our health and social services.

Because many immigrants are young and economically active, they contribute more than they receive in benefits over their lifetime.

According to the 2021 Census, more than 468,000 immigrants work in health-related occupations.

Source: #ImmigrationMatters, IRCC

To ensure Canada is not only filling in-demand jobs today but also attracting the skills and business talent to create the jobs of tomorrow, the Government of Canada is embracing its emerging role as a leader in global tech talent recruitment and attraction.

Canada as a destination for start-up talent

According to the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development’s (OECD’s) Indicators of Talent Attractiveness, Canada is ranked as the most attractive country for immigrant start-up founders and entrepreneurs, compared to all other OECD countries. 

Source: OECD Indicators of Talent Attractiveness 2023 (PDF, 2.2 MB)

Immigration levels

437,000
permanent resident welcomed in 2022

In 2022, Canada set a historical record, welcoming over 437,000 permanent residents—the most newcomers to be welcomed in one year in Canadian history. Many of the newcomers we welcomed as permanent residents last year, 35%, were already living, studying and working here as temporary residents, contributing to the country in sectors such as health care, skilled trades, manufacturing and technology.

Number of permanent residents by immigration category, 2017 to 2023

Source: IRCC

Text version: Number of permanent residents by immigration category, 2017 to 2023
Immigration category 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Grand total
Economic 159,317 186,368 196,656 106,352 252,991 255,686 104,440 1,261,810
Sponsored family 82,469 85,167 91,307 49,296 81,440 97,357 41,372 528,408
Resettled refugee and protected person in Canada 41,120 45,493 48,531 25,493 60,237 74,348 22,973 318,195
All other immigration 3,631 4,026 4,681 3,453 11,377 10,200 5,960 43,328
Grand total 286,537 321,054 341,175 184,594 406,045 437,591 174,745 2,151,741

The number of temporary residents (including temporary workers, students and visitors) keeps increasing and adds to the pressure the system is facing overall. Temporary residents also contribute to Canada’s economic, social, and cultural development.

Number of temporary residents by permit type, 2017 to 2022

Source: IRCC

Text version: Number of temporary residents by permit type, 2017 to 2022
Permit type 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Temporary foreign workers with LMIA 78,468 84,002 98,027 84,102 103,176 135,762
International Mobility Program participants 222,717 253,367 303,490 229,434 308,981 465,352
Total unique work permit holders 300,460 336,877 400,781 312,917 411,161 599,645
Study permit holders 314,991 354,283 400,627 255,638 444,046 550,046
Total unique permit holders 606,084 680,422 787,634 549,467 840,374 1,129,624

The Government has a multi-year plan for the number of immigrants who will come to Canada as permanent residents.

Permanent resident landings, 1865 to 2023

Source: IRCC

Text version: Permanent resident landings, 1865 to 2023
Year Admissions
1860 6,276
1861 13,589
1862 18,294
1863 21,000
1864 24,779
1865 18,958
1866 11,427
1867 10,666
1868 12,765
1869 18,630
1870 24,706
1871 27,773
1872 36,578
1873 50,050
1874 39,373
1875 27,382
1876 25,633
1877 27,082
1878 29,807
1879 40,492
1880 38,505
1881 47,991
1882 112,458
1883 133,624
1884 103,824
1885 76,169
1886 69,152
1887 84,526
1888 88,766
1889 91,600
1890 75,067
1891 82,165
1892 30,996
1893 29,633
1894 20,829
1895 18,790
1896 16,835
1897 21,716
1898 31,900
1899 44,543
1900 41,681
1901 55,747
1902 89,102
1903 138,660
1904 131,252
1905 141,465
1906 211,653
1907 272,409
1908 143,326
1909 173,694
1910 286,839
1911 331,288
1912 375,756
1913 400,870
1914 150,484
1915 33,665
1916 55,914
1917 72,910
1918 41,845
1919 107,698
1920 138,824
1921 91,728
1922 64,224
1923 133,729
1924 124,164
1925 84,907
1926 135,982
1927 158,886
1928 166,783
1929 164,993
1930 104,806
1931 27,530
1932 20,591
1933 14,382
1934 12,476
1935 11,277
1936 11,643
1937 15,101
1938 17,244
1939 16,994
1940 11,324
1941 9,329
1942 7,576
1943 8,504
1944 12,801
1945 22,722
1946 71,719
1947 64,127
1948 125,414
1949 95,217
1950 73,912
1951 194,391
1952 164,498
1953 168,868
1954 154,227
1955 109,946
1956 164,857
1957 282,164
1958 124,851
1959 106,928
1960 104,111
1961 71,698
1962 74,856
1963 93,151
1964 112,606
1965 146,758
1966 194,743
1967 222,876
1968 183,974
1969 164,531
1970 147,713
1971 121,900
1972 122,006
1973 184,200
1974 218,465
1975 187,881
1976 149,429
1977 114,914
1978 86,313
1979 112,093
1980 143,137
1981 128,641
1982 121,175
1983 89,186
1984 88,272
1985 84,347
1986 99,355
1987 152,079
1988 161,588
1989 191,555
1990 216,452
1991 232,806
1992 254,790
1993 256,641
1994 224,385
1995 212,865
1996 226,071
1997 216,035
1998 174,195
1999 189,951
2000 227,456
2001 250,637
2002 229,048
2003 221,349
2004 235,823
2005 262,242
2006 251,640
2007 236,753
2008 247,247
2009 252,172
2010 280,689
2011 248,748
2012 257,887
2013 258,953
2014 260,288
2015 271,821
2016 296,378
2017 286,489
2018 321,035
2019 341,181
2020 184,372
2021 405,332
2022 437,122
2023 (Projected) 465,000

Client service and service standards

The Government of Canada is committed to improving its services.

At IRCC, this includes ongoing work to reduce application backlogs and to improve adherence to service standards.

  • A service standard is a commitment to process an application in a certain amount of time under normal circumstances. Not all programs have service standards.
  • Processing times tell an applicant how long they can expect it will take IRCC to process an application under normal circumstances.

To keep Canadians up to date on progress toward reducing backlogs, IRCC publishes monthly data on its website.

Migration

100 million people worldwide forcibly displaced

According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), 100 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of conflict, persecution, human rights violations and violence.

Source: United Nations Refugee Agency

With an unprecedented number of displaced people worldwide, Canada is being called on to respond to more complex humanitarian crises and to do so faster than ever before.

Canada’s changing role in responding to humanitarian crises has demanded new approaches for managed migration—from the response to the Syrian refugee crisis and human rights violations in Iran, to those fleeing Afghanistan and the war in Ukraine, among others.

Canada’s response to the situation in Afghanistan

We’ve resettled over 40,000 refugees and some of the most vulnerable Afghans in Canada through several special measures and programs.

Source: Canada’s response to the situation in Afghanistan

Operation Syrian Refugees

Operation Syrian Refugees was Canada’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria. Over the span of 100 days, beginning in November 2015, we worked with Canadian private sponsors, non-governmental organizations and provincial, territorial, municipal governments and international partners to welcome more than 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of February 2016.

Source: #WelcomeRefugees: Canada resettled Syrian refugees

Immigration measures and support for Ukrainians

Canada is committed to supporting those affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We’re helping Ukrainian families get visitor visas as quickly as possible so that they can find a safe, temporary home in Canada. We’re also actively working with provinces, territories and settlement organizations across the country to expand the services available to Ukrainians and their family members while in Canada.

Source: Immigration measures and support for Ukrainians and their families

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