CANADA: Support Grows For Increased Immigration Levels

October 26, 2016

Canada”s Immigration Minister is expected to announce a new multi-year immigration plan in early November. Canada welcomed 320,932 immigrants in the past year and Minister John McCallum has signaled his intention to increase overall levels of immigration in the next four years.

Support for his plan has come from a variety of sources in recent weeks.  A government-appointed Advisory Council on Economic Growth called for a 50% increase in immigration levels to 450,000 people a year as a way of stimulating the country”s economy. Canada”s annual population growth is just 1.2% and Canadians are aging faster than any other G7 country except for Japan.  Without increased numbers of immigrants, these demographic challenges could have dire consequences for Canada.  Another pro-immigration organization called “The Century Initiative” is calling for Canada”s population to increase threefold from 36 million to 100 million people by 2100.

There”s also good news about the overall supply of immigrants.  A World Bank study found that Canada, along with the US, the UK and Australia are in the top tier of immigrant-receiving countries which together account for 75% of the world”s skilled migrants.   

In general, Canadians continue to support Canada”s pro-immigration policies. A recent poll found that 80% of Canadians continue to believe that immigration is good for Canada”s economy.  The poll also found that the vast majority of Canadians believe that the government does a good job of managing the immigration program.  

For further information on this topic, or for advice on Canadian immigration in general, please contact us at [email protected].