By Adiba Hasan

Mid-Year Check: Permanent Residents

Mid-Year Check: Citizenship

While PR numbers are on track with the targets set out in the latest immigration levels plan, citizenship numbers are down compared to 2022. Halfway into 2023, Canada has admitted 177,415 citizens (check out ICC Immigration Dashboard).

In comparison to the same time period in 2022, Canada had admitted 187,540 citizens, indicating that citizenship processing is down 5.3%. On a monthly level from May to June 2023, citizenship numbers dropped by 12%, from 42,537 to 34,474 respectively.

International Students amidst Canadian political debates

Notwithstanding the recent progress against the targets set out in the latest immigration levels plan, debates have erupted over the impact of high levels of immigration to Canada on key services and infrastructure, with housing featuring prominently. The debate has expanded to include temporary categories of immigration, in particular international students. In 2022, Canada hosted 549,260 international students, the largest cohort in Canada’s history. This year, Canada has already admitted 289,875 international students according to IRCC data, well on its way to hosting 900,000 international students altogether.

As governments grapple with housing solutions, international students have become unwitting pawns in domestic political debates. In a CBC article, Isaac Garcia-Sitton, the executive director of international student enrolment, education and inclusion at Toronto Metropolitan University stated, “Canada’s established policies, systems and processes are not strategic in scope and lack an emphasis on student well-being — favouring the recruitment of international students but not necessarily their transition or settlement once they arrive”. This issue extends beyond the international student experience to the process of transitioning to permanent residence, and eventually, on to citizenship.

Canada’s immigration landscape in 2023 is characterized by both promise and challenge. International students not only enrich the country’s labour force but also contribute to the future of the country by building their futures here as permanent residents. However, the housing crisis remains a pressing issue that demands comprehensive solutions, and policies must evolve to prioritize the well-being of all immigrants, including new permanent residents and international students. In addition, better data needs to be gathered to track the proportion of international students who become permanent residents in Canada, and furthermore, to track the number who go on to become citizens. Questions remain as to whether international students are at the forefront of the government’s mind as they build frameworks and policies such as the “Trusted Institution Framework“.

• Is Canada’s goal to give international students solely an international experience or encourage them to become part of the Canadian fabric?
• What are the implications for Canada when international students become the focal point of domestic debates?
• Moreover, what does Canada prioritize: encouraging international students to become citizens or returning them to their home countries?

Your insights and opinions on these critical matters are valuable. We invite you to share your thoughts and join the conversation on the future of immigration policies in Canada.

Take a look at our immigration dashboard for the latest numbers on PR admissions and new citizens.

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