31st October, 2020
Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, has revealed plans to bring in over 1.2 million new immigrants over the next three years.
Marco Mendicino, the Immigration Minister, disclosed this while unveiling what he termed an “ambitious” three-year immigration plan that set targets for bringing skilled workers, family members and refugees into Canada.
Mendicino while speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Friday, October 30, 2020, said the Canadian government aims to accept 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021, another 411,000 in 2022 and then 421,000 in 2023.
According to him, Canada needs more workers “and immigration is the way to get there”.
“Before the pandemic, our government’s goal to drive the economy forward through immigration was ambitious. Now it’s simply vital,” said Mendicino, while noting that immigrants drive the population and economic growth that pays for vital programs such as health care.
Canada, one of the top destinations of Nigerians, had expected to bring in 341,000 skilled workers, family members of Canadians and refugees this year.
But because of the COVID-19 crisis including closed borders and visa offices, quarantines and few available international flights, only a fraction came.
To help make up the shortfall, Mendicino said the government would offer permanent resident status to temporary foreign workers, international students, and asylum claimants already in Canada.