Canada has released its Immigration Levels Plan for 2024-2026. According to the document, the level of immigration in Canada will remain unchanged compared to current targets. Find out more about how many new migrants Canada plans to accept each year

The Canadian Immigration Plan for 2024-2026 was recently published on the official website of the Federal Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). According to the document, the state plans to accept about 500,000 immigrants each year. This indicator is the highest in the entire history of Canada.

Who will be able to move to the country of the "maple leaf" already next year? Let's talk further.

Canada immigration level plan for 2024-2026

In 2024-2026, the number of expats that Canada plans to accept will increase: if in 2023 IRCC planned to grant residence permits to 465,000 foreigners, then in 2024 this figure will increase to 485,000 people, and in 2025 and 2026, 500 are expected each 000 new permanent residents per year. Among the immigration goals, the country plans to focus on strengthening the economy, reuniting families and helping refugees.

Regarding the categories of migrants, highly qualified specialists, family members of permanent residents of Canada and refugees predominate in the plan.

It is worth noting that according to the plan, the number of French-speaking migrants will increase significantly in the last two years, in 2026 Canada plans to receive 36,000 French-speaking expats, against 26,100 people in 2024.

Why is Canada interested in increasing the number of expats?

Canada attracts more and more migrants to maintain the level of economic development in the country. The country has one of the oldest populations in the world and a low birth rate. These indicators lead to a decrease in the number of able-bodied citizens, a decrease in the rate of economic growth in Canada, and therefore complicate the financing of the social sphere.

By 2030, Canada's retirement-age population is expected to increase by 9 million people, leading to higher costs for health care and social benefits. That is why, since the end of the 1980s, the country has been working on increasing the population through immigration. The state regularly received more than 200,000 immigrants per year, increasing this level to 400,000 in recent years.

In addition, the COVID-19 epidemic also significantly weakened the Canadian economy, because, firstly, the state spent on social services increased, and also due to economic instability, the birth rate reached a minimum. Therefore, Canada will need even more expats in the coming years.

How to move to Canada?

To date, Canada has developed about 60 programs for immigration, which are divided into federal and provincial.

- Federal immigration programs are designed to find qualified specialists under the age of 35. They mostly work according to the Express Entry system: to become one of the candidates, you need to score a certain number of points. The most promising programs are for qualified specialists (especially medical staff and hospice workers), for representatives of working professions and those who already have 1+ years of work experience in Canada.

- Provincial programs are represented in Ontario, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island. Unlike federal, provincial immigrant programs have fewer requirements and may provide financial assistance.

The most popular immigration programs to Canada include:

- For skilled workers: Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW), Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC), Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP).

- For specialists who have work experience in Canada or are graduates of the country's higher education institution: Canadian Experience Class.

- Program for caregivers – for persons who are ready to care for children or people with special medical needs.

- Business programs.

- Provincial Nominal Program (PNP).

- Family programs: spousal/civil partner sponsorship and dependent child, parent and grandparent program.

- For refugees: privately sponsored refugees, government-assisted refugees, etc.

The programs are the easiest and most convenient way to move to Canada. The country's authorities are open to new residents and clearly and precisely indicate the requirements for immigrants. We talked about available types of work visas and paths to Canadian citizenship here. Top 15 myths about immigration to Canada in our material.

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Daria Rogova, Head of Insurance at Visit World

To move, travel or work safely in a new country, you will need health insurance. You can apply for an extended policy on our website here.

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Products from Visit World for a comfortable trip:

Checklist for obtaining a visa and necessary documents in Canada;

Legal advice on business issues in Canada;

Travel insurance for foreigners in Canada;

Medical insurance all over the world.

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