Canada welcomed record number of immigrants in first month of 2021, most since last February
New data from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows that Canada welcomed around 24,665 new permanent residents in January 2021.
The January numbers are comparable to Canada’s monthly intake before the COVID-19 pandemic last year. It is the strongest month for Canadian immigration since February 2020. Prior to the pandemic, Canada welcomed between 25,000 and 35,000 new immigrants per month.
These figures are the latest display that IRCC is well on track to meet their ambitious target of welcoming 401,000 newcomers in each of the coming three (3) years.
There is a season trend in immigration for Canada. Newcomer arrivals are strongest in the Spring and Summer months and slow down near the end of each year.
Since the travel restrictions came into place last year on March 18th. Immigration levels since then have remained low and Canada has not been able to surpass 20,000 new arrivals in a month until January 2021.
These new figures follow an unprecedented Express Entry draw that invited 27,000 invitations issued to Canadian Experience Class candidates in February of this year. Since it usually takes nine (9) months between the time of being invited for permanent residence to completing the landing process, there should be a spike in November or December this year for these candidates.
If the typical seasonal newcomer arrivals normalize, Canada should expect immigration to soon surpass 35,000 monthly intakes by the Summer.
Canada is targeting candidates who are already living in the country because of COVID-19 and the travel restrictions. Once the pandemic situation improves, IRCC will likely begin welcoming skilled workers who are overseas.
So far this year Express Entry draws have only invited Provincial Nominee Program and Canadian Experience Class candidates.