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Canada targets 485,000 immigrants from Nigeria, others by 2024

Canada to limit international student intake, restricts post-graduation work permits

Canada has unveiled its immigration target for 2024-2026 from Nigeria and other countries. This was revealed on Wednesday by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

In 2024, the country will target the admission of 485,000 new immigrants. In 2025 and 2026, it will look to welcome 500,000 new immigrants each year.

Read also: Canada pledges $18m for poverty, humanitarian response in Nigeria

The plan details the targets for each of the three immigration classes, including economic, family, and humanitarian, according to a statement.

“In 2024, Canada will look to welcome about 281,135 immigrants under the economic class, or 58 percent of the annual target. By 2026, this will rise to 301,250 immigrants, or 60 percent of the annual target,” it said.

It said the family class target, in 2024, will be 114,000 immigrants, or 24 percent of all admissions. “This will rise to 118,000 immigrants by 2026, which will also be 24 percent of all admissions.”

“Humanitarian admission targets will be 89,865 immigrants in 2024, or about 19 percent of all admissions. These totals include refugees, protected persons, and those admitted for humanitarian, compassionate, or other reasons. By 2026, the target will be 80,832 immigrants, or 16 percent of admissions.

“Note that figures may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding,” the statement added.

In 2022, Canada broke the record for new immigrants at 437,000 admissions. The target for permanent resident admissions in 2023 is 465,000.

Data from US Census Bureau International Data Base, a global demographic product, show that the estimated working age (15-64) for Canada is projected to rise marginally by 4.9 percent to 25.8 million by 2050 from 24.6 million in 2022, while that of Nigeria will double by 107.4 percent to 259.9 million.

Read also: Immigrants are leaving Canada at faster pace, study shows

Last year, the country landed 437,120 Permanent Residents, a nearly eight percent increase from the total number of PRs in 2021.