Canada is on track to welcome many more new permanent residents than the annual target set in the new immigration levels plan for 2023-2025 based on the latest data as of March 2023.
In November of 2022, the Canadian immigration department set a target of welcoming 465,000 new permanent residents for this year, 485,000 new permanent residents in 2024, and another 500,000 in 2025.
Canada welcomed 145,330 new permanent residents in the first quarter (Jan-Mar) of 2023; even though the overall immigration slowed in the month of February and March 2023.
2023 Province-Wise Number of New Immigrants To Canada
As compared to the same time period in 2022 the number of new permanent residents landed was at 113,800.
If this trend continues, then Canadian immigration is on course to make a new record of landing more than 580,000 new immigrants.
As a result, the estimated rate of immigration this year would be 25% more than the IRCC’s target for 2023 and even 16% higher than the highest level set out for 2025.
In January 2023 Canada welcomed 50,905 new permanent residents, the highest number of new immigrants in a single month since 2015.
However, the monthly influx of new permanent residents has comparatively decreased since January 2023.
In February, Canada welcomed 49,645 new permanent residents, while in March this number fell to 44,780 new permanent residents, a 9.8 per cent decrease.
This number is expected to drop further because of slower processing due to the IRCC strike from April 19 to May 1.
2023 Province-Wise Number of New Immigrants To Canada
Ontario (the largest and most populous province) was by far the most popular location for entrants to Canada in the first 3 months of the year, attracting 60,800 new permanent residents.
British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec welcomed more than 15,000 new immigrants in the first quarter.
Geography | Number of New Permanent Residents (Jan-Mar 2023) |
---|---|
Ontario | 60,800 |
British Columbia | 24,465 |
Alberta | 17,135 |
Quebec | 16,045 |
Manitoba | 8,835 |
Saskatchewan | 7,380 |
Nova Scotia | 3,930 |
New Brunswick | 2,940 |
Newfoundland and Labrador | 2,045 |
Prince Edward Island | 1,275 |
Yukon | 345 |
Northwest Territories | 125 |
Nunavut | 10 |
Total | 145,330 |
Economic programs attracted more than half of Ontario’s immigrants in the first three months of this year with 31,555 new permanent residents.
Economic programs include the Agri-Food Pilot Program, Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Caregiver programs, Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program (RNIP), Federal Skilled Trades (FST), Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program, Start-Up Visa program, Self-Employed program, and the TR2PR Pathway.
In the first quarter of 2023, another 16,760 new permanent residents arrived in Ontario through family sponsorships, while 9,205 entered Canada’s refugee programs.
The amount of immigration to Quebec in the first 3 months of this year puts it on track to welcome 64,180 new permanent residents by the end of 2023 based on the first quarter trend.
However, Quebec has been repeatedly opposing the record immigration levels plan set out by the Canadian government and has set out a target of not welcoming more than 50,000 new permanent residents in 2023.
What are Canada’s new immigration levels plan for 2023-2025?
Canada has a target of welcoming nearly 1.5 million new permanent residents by 2025.
1. 2023 – 465,000 permanent residents
2. 2024 – 485,000 permanent residents
3. 2025 – 500,000 permanent residents
How many new permanent residents have been welcomed by Canada in 2023?
Canada has welcomed around 145,330 new permanent residents in the first 3 months of 2023 as per the latest available data.
Out of these, more than half of the new immigrants were welcomed under the economic immigration programs during the first quarter of 2023.
Ontario welcomed the highest number of new permanent residents followed by British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec.