By Adiba Hasan

In this monthly update, the ICC Immigration Dashboard indicates a drop in PR admissions in 2024 by 16% compared to the same period in 2023. By March 2023, PR admissions had reached 31% of the immigration target levels, with 145,495 new PRs. By comparison, in March 2024 PR admissions hit 25% of the annual immigration target, with 121,610 new PRs.

In 2023, PR admissions declined gradually in the early months of the New Year, with 50,945 admitted in January, 49,670 in February (-1,275), and 44880 in March (-4,790). PR admissions have experienced a more a dramatic decline over the same period in 2024, with 47,745 admitted in January, 39,090 in February (-8,655), and 34,785 in March (-4,305).

PR Admissions by Province

The chart below reflects the impact of the decline in PR admissions across provinces. Overall, most provinces experienced a decrease in PR admissions in 2024 compared to 2023 between January and March. However, with the exception of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Atlantic provinces experienced a slight uptick in PR admissions, with New Brunswick seeing a 35% increase in the PRs admitted compared to the same period in 2023.

The ICC immigration dashboard shows that Manitoba (-36%), Newfoundland and Labrador (-31%), British Columbia (-28%), and Saskatchewan (-24%) saw the sharpest decline in PR admissions. It is worth noting that these provinces are also facing challenges retaining immigrants.

Province Snapshot: New Brunswick

According to a Statistics Canada report, immigrant retention over 5 years has increased in New Brunswick in recent years. With the Canadian government’s commitment to strengthening francophone communities, New Brunswick has been a focal point in establishing initiatives to bolster francophones outside of Quebec as it is Canada’s only officially bilingual province.

In 2023, New Brunswick experienced record population growth with the province admitting “33,000 arrivals from other countries between July 2021 and July 2023”. The province is also experiencing significant economic growth, ending the fiscal year on March 31, 2023 with a budget surplus of $1.01 billion, which some attribute to the arrival of newcomers. As such, the city of Moncton, which houses 21% of the province’s population, has implemented an Urban Growth Strategy that serves as a directive for managing housing and employment plans for the city over the next 25 years.

According to the ICC Immigration Dashboard, New Brunswick welcomed 44,495 new permanent residents since 2018. The diagram below indicates the streams through which immigrants have been admitted, with the Provincial Nominee Program admitting the most PRs in 2022 and 2023.

What do you think?

• Given that Ontario attracts the most number of immigrants, how does adjusting immigration levels on a federal level impact provinces that have a demand for immigrants?
• What else can provinces outside of Ontario do to retain immigrants?

Stay informed about the latest immigration trends with the ICC’s immigration dashboard. Interested in following us? Please sign up here for more updates from Ideas & Insights at ICC. You can learn more about the ICC here. 

Today the ICC is publishing new research exploring immigrants’ perceptions of Canadian citizenship.

Our analysis combines survey and interview data from newcomers participating in the Canoo Access Pass who shared their perspectives on Canadian citizenship and the various factors that influence their views on whether to naturalize.

To read the full report, click here.

While a majority of the permanent residents (PRs) surveyed express positive views on Canadian citizenship and either intend to apply or have already done so, a significant 21% remain uncertain or reluctant to apply. Through in-depth follow-up interviews with 40 respondents, we found the following factors play a role in shaping newcomers’ views on naturalization:

By Adiba Hasan

IRCC released the 2024-2026 Immigration Levels Plan in November 2023, setting its PR admissions target at 485,000 in 2024 before levelling at 500,000 for 2025 and 2026. The latest data on the ICC’s Immigration Dashboard indicates that in January and February 2024, IRCC managed to admit 18% of its immigration target, which represents a 3% decline from the same period in 2023.

Increases in immigration following the pandemic have sparked intense debates about the impact of higher levels on a variety of issues such as housing and healthcare. In response, the government seems to be attempting to strike a balance by introducing “soft caps” for immigration groups such as temporary workers and international students, which were previously not subject to limits. While these new limits on temporary residents are established, as well as a levelling off of PR admissions at 500,000 in 2025 and 2026, the precise impact on issues such as housing and healthcare remains to be seen.

The chart below illustrates that while Canada saw a 20% increase in new citizens in the first two months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, permanent resident (PR) admissions saw a 14% decrease over the same period.

Fewer Invitations to Apply (ITAs) and Higher CRS Scores

IRCC issues an Invitation to Apply (ITA) after a candidate successfully submits their PR application through the Express Entry system. Express Entry employs a Comprehensive Ranking System, a point-based system that gives candidates a score of 1,200 points based on their age, education, language proficiency, and work experience among other criteria. IRCC reviews and selects candidates that fit specific economic immigration programs, such as Federal Skilled Workers, Federal Skilled Trades, Canadian Experience Class, and Provincial Nominee Programs.

According to earlier draws in the Express Entry pool, scores for General applications that received an ITA were between 400-500 points, with the lowest CRS score requiring 75 points in post-pandemic 2021. However, the bar was raised in 2024, with successful applicants needing a score of above 500 points to receive an ITA, reflecting one of the many ways the government is trying to tighten immigration selection standards.

Further suggesting a more selective approach to immigration through Express Entry, there’s been a notable decrease of 21% of ITAs issued in 2024. Compared to the first four months of 2023, where IRCC issued 41,059 ITAs, the total ITA issued in 2024 is 32,395.

Navigating the Backlog

IRCC’s backlog tracker indicates that 58% of applications are being processed within the established standard time, with the remaining 42% exceeding service standards.

The graph below illustrates the fluctuations of applications in backlogs. Between June to December 2023, the citizenship backlog decreased by 6% whereas PR application backlogs decreased by 3%. Notably, there was a reduction of 36,800 citizenship applications between June to December 2023, and PR applications decreased by 1,000 while the backlog rate decreased slowly. By contrast, the backlog for temporary resident visas (including study and work permits; TRV) increased by 14% in 2023, even though total application numbers decreased from 1,300,000 in July 2023 to 1,256,600 in December 2023.

The graph below indicates a steady decrease in the percentage of citizenship applications in backlog, but it is also the group with the lowest number of applications when compared to PR and TRV application numbers.

Share Your Thoughts

So far, the data for 2024 show fewer ITA’s being issued and a decrease in PRs being admitted, along with a very slow progress in working through backlogged applications. As we track the changes and continue to provide analysis of the changing immigration trends through the ICC Immigration Dashboard, here are two questions to ponder:

• Should alternative immigration streams be added to an already overwhelmed Express Entry system?
• Will a decrease in immigration levels have the intended impact on housing and healthcare strains, or will new challenges emerge?

Stay informed about the latest immigration trends with the ICC’s immigration dashboard. Interested in following us? Please sign up here for more updates from Ideas & Insights at ICC. You can learn more about the ICC here. 

By Adiba Hasan

As immigration continues to be the central debate in Canadian politics, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) admitted 471, 550 new permanent residents (PR) in 2023, surpassing the targeted PR admissions.

Citizenship in 2023

While policies emphasize the admission of temporary residents and new PRs, citizenship tends to receive less attention. The ICC has taken the lead on tracking monthly citizenship numbers through the ICC Immigration Dashboard and has also published reports that demonstrate a decline in naturalization rates.

The ICC Immigration Dashboard shows there were 379,448 new citizens in 2023. It is worth noting that IRCC does not publish an annual target for citizenship as they do with PR targets.

Immigration Trends

In 2023, the number of new citizens remained relatively stable with just a 1% increase from 2022, which works out to an additional 3,838 new citizens. By comparison, PR admissions experienced an 8% increase over the same time period.

Immigration Category

Top 3 Source Countries for PR in 2023

The ICC Immigration Dashboard highlights the diverse backgrounds of people who settle in Canada. In 2023, India (139,715 PRs), China (31,770), and the Philippines (26,945) resumed their positions as the top source countries for PR admissions, repeating a pattern observed in 2021. India has consistently been the top source country for PR admissions between 2021 to 2023.

The new source countries that emerged in 2022 were Afghanistan (23,745 PRs) and Nigeria (22,135 PRs), which remain in the top 5 source countries in 2023.

Emerging Source Countries

2023 also saw a significant growth in PR admissions from African nations, reflecting the changes in global immigration dynamics. The source countries that saw an increase in the number of PRs admitted were Cameroon, with an 87% increase from 2022, Congo, DRC, 63% increase, and Eritrea, 40% increase.

Every year, IRCC reveals its immigration levels plan that sets targets for the number of PRs that will be admitted through different categories in the forthcoming three years. As we continue to analyze and report, the immigration levels plan aims to welcome 485,000 new PRs in 2024, increasing to 500,000 PRs in 2025 and 2026. Separately, Quebec released its immigration target levels, which are set to admit 50,000 PRs in 2024 and 2025.

At the moment, IRCC has not published annual targets for new citizens.

Share Your Thoughts

• In the global competition for skilled labour, how should Canada adjust its immigration selection policies to attract talent?
• How can Canadian immigration policies be adapted to more effectively recognize and utilize the credentials and experiences of international professionals, addressing underemployment issues among immigrants?

Track the changing trends in immigration through the ICC’s immigration dashboard. At the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, our commitment is to make Canada accessible to newcomers. Through programs like Canoo and our various research efforts, we hope to collaboratively build pathways to enrich Canada’s diverse immigrant population.

Interested in following us? Please sign up here for more updates from Ideas & Insights at ICC. You can learn more about the ICC here. 

Toronto, Ontario, February 6, 2024 – Early findings from The Newcomer Perspective, a study conducted jointly by Ipsos and the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC), show that newcomers have mixed feelings as they acclimatize to life in Canada. Preliminary results from the research, which will gather the views of 20,000 newcomers to Canada in 2024, demonstrate how critical it is for governments, businesses and all Canadians to understand all phases of the newcomer journey to Canada. That journey is indeed a very dynamic one, with significant shifts in perspectives and behaviours across different demographics and throughout the first ten years in Canada. As results also demonstrate, it is also a journey of mixed emotions.

Significant headwinds during their first few years in the Country

Early findings demonstrate that newcomers face major challenges during their first few years in Canada, especially when it comes to housing and finances. When asked to select the three most important issues facing Canada today from a list of 20 items, housing easily topped the list, with 68% of newcomers choosing it as a top concern. This was followed by interest rates and inflation (44%), healthcare (39%) and unemployment and jobs (26%).  

In line with those findings, more than eight in ten (86%) newcomers say that Canada has been worse than expected as a place that gives them access to affordable housing, compared to only 5% who think it is better than expected. Housing far outranks any other aspect of the newcomer journey when it comes to falling short of expectations.

Canada also falls short of expectations for too many newcomers as a place where you can get ahead financially (56% worse/22% better) and as a place where you can make a good income (51% worse/23% better).

Newcomers feel welcomed and treated fairly in Canada

Despite facing challenges in the early years, the vast majority of newcomers to Canada say that the country meets or exceeds their expectations as a place where they feel welcomed (89%) and believe they are being treated fairly as Canadian residents (87%). Bringing with them a great variety of cultural, social, religious, and political beliefs and behaviours, the vast majority of newcomers nonetheless feel that they share the same outlook on life, opinions on important issues, etc. as other Canadians (85%).

Do newcomers feel welcomed in the same way by different groups and institutions? Mostly. More than nine in ten feel welcomed by Canadian non-profit organizations (95%; 51% very/44% somewhat), by people in Canada (94%; 49% very/45% somewhat) and by government entities in Canada/the Canadian government (90%; 44% very/46% somewhat). While 85% also feel welcomed by Canadian businesses, only 31% say they feel very welcomed compared to 54% who feel somewhat welcomed, leaving ample room for improvement on the part of Canadian businesses.   

The Newcomer Perspective: So much more than a survey of newcomers

These are just a small sample of key findings and topics covered in this groundbreaking syndicated research program, The Newcomer Perspective. In months to come, Ipsos and the ICC will explore other issues of importance for newcomers and for the governments, non-profits and businesses who seek to serve them better. This ongoing research will track the views of newcomers over time and will allow subscribers to dive deeper into results by a wide array of key segments, including country of origin, immigration category, province of residence, number of years in Canada, age, education levels and so much more.

About this release

These are some of the early findings of the recently launched ‘The Newcomer Perspective’ research program, which will survey 20,000 newcomers in 2024.  For this release, 1,336 newcomers to Canada aged 18 years and over were interviewed online between November 14-23, 2023.  Participants for the survey were permanent residents and Canadian citizens who have recently moved to Canada. Respondents were members of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship’s (ICC) Canoo Cultural Access Pass, which represents the largest and highest quality member base of Canadian newcomers. 

About The Newcomer Perspective Study

The Newcomer Perspective is a partnership between Ipsos and the ICC which brings the voices of newcomers to Canadian leaders in the private and public sectors, providing the insights they need to play their part in making Canada a welcoming country that newcomers fall in love with and contribute to. The study is the country’s largest and most comprehensive survey of the attitudes and perspectives of newcomers throughout their immigration journey. For more information on The Newcomer Perspective research program, please see more information here or write to NewcomerInsightsCanada@ipsos.com.

About Ipsos

Ipsos is one of the largest market research and polling companies globally, operating in 90 markets and employing nearly 20,000 people. Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. Our 75 business solutions are based on primary data from our surveys, social media monitoring, and qualitative or observational techniques.

Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has been listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1, 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120 and Mid-60 indices and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD). ISIN code FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA, Bloomberg IPS:FP. www.ipsos.com

About the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC)

The ICC works to unlock Canada for newcomers, facilitating and encouraging the journey towards full and active Canadian citizenship. Thanks to its pioneering Canoo Cultural Access Pass, the ICC serves more newcomers than any other organization in Canada. Headquartered in Toronto, the ICC has a presence across the country, including staff in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, and Montréal.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

For Ipsos:

Sanyam Sethi
Vice President, Ipsos Public Affairs
Sanyam.Sethi@ipsos.com
+1 416 324-2307

Sébastien Dallaire
Senior Vice President
Sebastien.Dallaire@ipsos.com
+1 514 443-4758

For the Institute for Canadian Citizenship

Alex Nanoff
media@inclusion.ca
+1 613 709 6318

Research details 

For questions about methodology and analysis, please contact Ipsos using the details listed above. 
Click here for more information and to access data tables for this release. 

By Adiba Hasan

The ICC Immigration Dashboard indicates that IRCC is well on its way to reaching its goal for the year having admitted 80% of its target for new Permanent Residents (PR) for 2023.

According to IRCC data, 37% of the PR admissions were people who transitioned from holding temporary residency in Canada to becoming permanent residents. However, new research commissioned by the ICC shows that immigration levels only show part of the story; immigrants are leaving Canada in growing numbers.

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Diving into the Trends:

The ICC Immigration Dashboard shows a pattern of PR admissions experiencing a dip every August. For reference, the ICC Immigration Dashboard shows the following dips between June to September every year since 2018:

Each year, between July and August, there’s an average decrease of 13%. However, September typically witnesses an uptick in PR admissions. In 2023, we observed a different pattern than in the previous years. There is a steady decrease from 42,405 permanent residents admitted in June, followed by a slight dip to 40,630 in July, a more substantial drop to 34,920 in August, following a further dip to 32,065 in September.

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Challenges and Departures:

While the government diligently focuses on achieving its immigration targets, new research by the ICC and the Conference Board of Canada shows that immigrants are leaving Canada at alarming rates, with spikes in the most recent years for which data are available. The report, The Leaky Bucket, shows that onward migration has been creeping up since the 1980s. The findings suggest that immigration levels and associated concerns with impacts on infrastructure and public services cannot be viewed in isolation — the number of immigrants coming to Canada must be contextualized with the number of immigrants choosing to leave.

Read the full report here: Immigrants leaving Canada in growing numbers

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Source Countries and Naturalization:

The top four source countries for new Canadian citizens between January to September 2023 were India, the Philippines, Nigeria, and Pakistan. New Canadian citizens from Iran and China show month-to-month fluctuations.

Notably, India and China, which do not permit dual citizenship, exhibit the most significant disparities between permanent residents and choosing to naturalize.

While naturalization is decreasing among all major source countries, research conducted by Andrew Griffith and published by the ICC shows that restrictions on dual nationality has a “limited impact on overall naturalization rates“. One significant insight from the research is that permanent residents are taking much longer to naturalize. Combined with the recent findings that growing numbers of immigrants are leaving Canada, serious questions are being raised about immigrants’ satisfaction with life in Canada.

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Maintaining Canada’s reputation as a welcoming society is crucial, but it is equally vital to recognize that Canada has not been paying close enough attention to the experiences of immigrants once they arrive. As ICC CEO Daniel Bernhard aptly puts it, “If we are able to attract but not retain talent from the rest of the world, then all of our prosperity is threatened.”

• What are the consequences for Canada if immigrants no longer commit to building their futures here?
• How can Canada proactively work to retain immigrants and continue to attract the diverse talent it needs to thrive in a globalized world?

We invite you, our readers, to share your valuable insights, experiences, and perspectives on these pressing matters. Your engagement is vital as we work to shape Canada’s immigration policies and ensure an inclusive and welcoming future for all.

Stay informed through the immigration dashboard for the latest numbers on PR admissions and new citizens.

Interested in following us? Please sign up here for more updates from Ideas & Insights at ICC. You can learn more about the ICC here. 

The proportion of permanent residents taking up Canadian citizenship within ten years of arrival declined 40% between 2001 and 2021. Today, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship is publishing a new analysis conducted by expert researcher Andrew Griffith, which examines this trend more closely. 

Key findings from the research

1. Naturalization is declining across all major source countries 

Less than 50% of citizenship-eligible permanent residents from top immigration source countries are becoming Canadian citizens within ten years of arrival. This is the case for permanent residents from China (30%), India (49%), South Korea (35%), United Kingdom (43%) and United States of America (48%), among other top source countries. 

2. Source country restrictions on dual nationality have a limited impact on naturalization rates 

A prevailing theory on the cause of declining naturalization rates is that a growing number of immigrants to Canada come from countries that prohibit multiple citizenships. This research debunks this claim. The proportion of permanent residents from countries that prohibit naturalization has grown, but the increase in the number of permanent residents choosing not to become citizens is higher amongst source countries that allow dual citizenship. Between Census 2016 and Census 2021, the number of permanent residents from India choosing not to become Canadian citizens increased by 47%. For permanent residents from China, it increased by 40%. Both countries prohibit dual nationality. For those from the Philippines, which allows dual nationality, the number of permanent residents choosing not to become Canadian citizens increased by 64%. 

3. Permanent residents are taking longer to become citizens 

For those who do become citizens, the time between arrival and naturalization has increased significantly. Between 2005 and 2022, permanent residents who arrived under the Economic category took 21% longer to naturalize at 6.1 years on average. For the Family Reunification Class, time increased 17% to 7.4 years on average. Among source countries, time to naturalization for permanent residents from China increased almost 70% to 7.9 years, while for the Philippines it increased almost 30% to 6.6 years. India remained relatively stable at 6.1 years on average. Permanent residents from Iran saw the largest increase overall, 181%, taking 12.5 years to naturalize, on average. 

4. The ten years following arrival are critical 

While fewer permanent residents are naturalizing overall, 92% of naturalizations take place within ten years. In other words, if a permanent resident chooses not to become a Canadian citizen within ten years of arriving in Canada, it is unlikely that they will ever choose to do so. This finding highlights the first ten years as a critical period to intervene.

By Adiba Hasan

As autumn settles in, Canada is steadily progressing toward its immigration targets for the year. The latest update from the ICC Immigration Dashboard indicates that IRCC has achieved 65% of its target for new Permanent Residents (PR) for 2023.

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Application Backlog

Invitation to Apply (ITAs)

Express Entry is a system that IRCC utilizes to select candidates that best fit specific economic immigration programs to apply for permanent residence. Express Entry encompasses Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, Canadian Experience Class, and part of the Provincial Nominee Programs.

While Canada remains a beacon for hopeful immigrants worldwide, it is essential to acknowledge and address the domestic issues and perceptions that might deter potential immigrants. The rhetoric surrounding international students and the potential consequences of decreasing immigration levels requires us to ponder whether these measures might have unforeseen repercussions.

• How can Canada ensure it remains attractive to potential immigrants, despite domestic challenges?
• Could the current immigration debate have unforeseen ramifications that might affect Canada’s image as an immigration-friendly nation?
• Given that the budget officer has affirmed that IRCC has enough staff to get through the backlog, what other strategies should IRCC implement to address the backlogs more effectively?

We welcome you to share your insights, experiences, and perspectives on this multifaceted issue.

Explore the latest data on permanent resident admissions and new citizens by visiting our immigration dashboard. At the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, we are dedicated to unlocking Canada for newcomers. Through initiatives like Canoo and our ongoing research projects, including the immigration dashboard, we strive to create opportunities and foster collaboration in support of Canada’s diverse and vibrant immigrant community.

Interested in following us? Please sign up here for more updates from Ideas & Insights at ICC. You can learn more about the ICC here. 

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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).

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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.

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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.

Interested in following us? Please sign up here for more updates from Ideas & Insights at ICC. You can learn more about the ICC here. 

By Adiba Hasan

Canada remains on track to welcome 465,000 new permanent residents in 2023, having already hit 47% of its target by May. While April saw a temporary dip in the number of PRs admitted (likely related to the Public Service Alliance of Canada strike action), May saw a resurgence with 45,825 new permanent residents welcomed into the country.

Debates on immigration levels have bubbled to the surface in recent weeks, particularly in relation to its impact on housing affordability. The political significance of this debate was made all the more evident in the recent cabinet reshuffle as Minister Sean Fraser — the Minster responsible for setting current immigration levels — was moved from IRCC to Housing Infrastructure and Communities. With the introduction of Marc Miller (former Minister of Indigenous Services) as Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the debate continues over how to balance immigration levels with adequate housing supply for a growing population. In particular, with labour shortages afoot, who will build the housing required to accommodate this growth? As Canada adapts its immigration categories and embraces new selection methods, the ICC Citizenship and Immigration Dashboard serves as a reliable resource, keeping the public informed about the latest trends in immigration.

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Invitation to Apply: 2023

In May 2023, the former Minister of IRCC, the Honorable Sean Fraser, introduced a category-based selection approach to prioritize skilled immigrants in specific areas of need in Canada. The new categories established as part of this strategy are the following:

PR Admissions per Province: May

As Canada progresses towards its PR admissions target, provinces have experienced uneven trends.

Quebec saw a decline in PRs admitted since the beginning of the year. The province admitted 5,995 PRs in January, but as the year progressed, the province saw a drop in April, admitting 3,310 PRs. In May, Quebec admitted 3,555 PRs, but as the province toughened its immigration policies to make French language proficiency mandatory for almost all economic immigrants, it is yet to be seen how the numbers of PRs admitted are affected. However, economists indicate that the province will see labour shortages as companies will find it difficult to attract international talent partly due to the strong emphasis on French across permanent and temporary immigration streams.

The Atlantic Provinces started the year on a high note, but Newfoundland and PEI have since seen a fall in PR admissions. In January 2023, Newfoundland admitted 1,085 PRs, and PEI admitted 640 PRs. Fast forward to April, these provinces admitted 405 PRs and 300 PRs, respectively. As they strive for economic growth and development, attracting and retaining skilled immigrants becomes crucial.

Given the prevailing debates around immigration and housing across Canada, the introduction and prioritization of new categories for Express Entry raise interesting and significant questions: can category-based selection actually deliver against the labour shortages being experienced in the trades, STEM and healthcare sectors? Does Quebec’s new approach to francophone immigration pose risks to the province’s social and cultural cohesion, particularly amongst those outside of the francophone community? Our goal is to foster meaningful discussions about immigration and citizenship in Canada – share your thoughts with us!

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

You can learn more about the ICC here. Join the conversation and be part of building a more inclusive Canada.

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