Canada Immigration: The Future Is Looking Bright Despite COVID-19 Related Setbacks
Most countries had a rough start to 2020 and Canada was no
exception. As early as March, the Government issued special orders
under the Quarantine Act which greatly restricted travel
to and from Canada, allowing only Canadian citizens and permanent
residents, their immediate family members, and a very restricted
group of essential workers to enter the country. This development
had an immediate negative effect both on the individuals who were
hoping to immigrate to Canada via Express Entry streams, and on the
Canadian economy which is largely dependent on a steady influx of
skilled foreign labour.
For most of 2020, COVID-19 travel restrictions forced
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to limit the
pool of eligible Express Entry candidates to only those who were
already present in Canada. This precluded many highly qualified
individuals who would have, under normal circumstances, been
invited to apply for permanent residence. For several months, only
candidates in the Canadian Experience Class or those with
Provincial Nominations were eligible for the periodic draw during
which invitations to apply for permanent residence are issued. The
consequences of these unprecedented actions were far reaching,
creating a ripple effect in the Canadian economy which consequently
struggled with shortages of qualified labour.
As restrictions began to relax toward the latter part of the
year, however, the outlook changed drastically. In the final two
months of 2020, IRCC reopened the pool to individuals qualifying
through Foreign Skilled Worker and Foreign Skilled Trades
categories. Additionally, in an effort to compensate for the labour
shortages these restrictions had created, a significant number of
invitations were issued (5,000 individuals were issued Invitations
to Apply for Permanent Residence in November). In the latest draw
that took place on December 9, the minimum eligibility score was
lowered to 469 points, which significantly increased the number of
immigrants able to qualify.
Additionally, during the last quarter of 2020, the Canadian
Minister of Immigration announced plans to significantly increase
immigration levels in 2021-2023 to help the Canadian economy
recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, drive future growth, and create
jobs for middle class Canadians. In actual numbers, these plans aim
to increase immigration to about 1% of the country’s
population, which amounts to 400,000 new permanent residents in
2021. It is expected that 60% of all new permanent residents will
come through economic streams.
Though we are presently witnessing an upsurge in COVID-19 cases,
and a consequent tightening of travel restrictions, with new
measures such as the requirement to provide a negative COVID-19
test result as well as a comprehensive quarantine plan prior to
travelling to Canada, there are good reasons to remain optimistic.
Indeed, in addition to the commitment to increase the numbers of
new immigrants, IRCC is currently undergoing a large automation
process. Already candidates are able to submit most applications
online, and there are plans to further invest into capacity
building, development and digital transformation of Canada’s
immigration system. One such example is the recently-built online
portal, which enables new permanent residents to complete their
landing process much faster and without an in-person
interview. As Canada continues to position itself as a top
destination for global talent, automation is expected to reduce
waiting times and enable a smooth immigration process for qualified
individuals. In conclusion, notwithstanding temporary setbacks
created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the future for permanent
residence hopefuls remains bright.
Originally Published by FGI, January
2021
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