The Canadian government is boosting its base number of immigrants to be allowed into Canada next year to 300,000. This is to help drive economic growth as the country grapples with an aging demographic.
The previous target from 2011 to 2015 was 260,000, which has been increased to 300,000 this year because of what the Minister of Immigration, McCallum called the “special circumstances” of the Syrian refugee crisis. That number will now be the permanent base.
The government’s economic growth council had recommended raising immigration levels to 450,000 over the next five years, but McCallum rejected that target as of today.
There has been much debate over the targeted immigration level at a time when Canada struggles with high unemployment. There have also been questions about Canada’s ability to smoothly integrate newcomers into communities.
The minister said other measures would be announced at a later date to streamline the process for economic applicants and to improve the process for permanent residency for international students.
He further reinstated that the students were among the best candidates to become Canadians, yet they have been “short changed” by the system in the past.
Kevin Lamoureux, the parliamentary secretary to the government House leader, said immigrants not only fill jobs that would otherwise remain vacant and help to develop provincial economies, but they also contribute to the character and social fabric of communities.
If not for immigration, population of his province of Manitoba would have declined in the last decade.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
