Overview of what to expect of Canadian immigration in 2021:
Immigration to Canada was severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic in the year 2020. In the year 2019, Canada invited a large total of 340,000 new immigrants. Due to the outbreak of Covid-19 in March and the subsequent lockdown restrictions.
Since March 18, 2020, Canada had limited the number of immigrants who were allowed to enter the country, yet the immigration pathways for immigrants who were or are already in Canada such as Express Entry and PNP system remained functional.
As the Coronavirus situation is getting better in Canada and worldwide as well, 2021 seems to be a promising year for the Canadian immigration system. Although, until the Coronavirus situation is not completely under control, maintaining high levels of immigration to Canada in 2021 will still be a problem.
To overcome the pandemic, Canada has started its biggest vaccination campaign and aims to provide doses of vaccines to all of its citizens by September 2021. As vaccines are being approved in various countries worldwide, by the end of 2021 it is feasible to say that the immigration system in Canada will be back on track.
Under Canada’s new Immigration levels 2021-2023, Canada has shown its commitment to welcoming immigrants as it aims to welcome a whopping 400,000 immigrants in the year 2021. Canada is still expected to keep its containment rules such as 14-day mandatory quarantine and requiring a Covid-19 negative certificate for immigrants before and after they enter the port of Canada.
Due to the travel ban, instead of physically welcoming immigrants, Canada has been approving immigrants to arrive in Canada at a later date. Designated learning institutes in Canada have been conducting the teaching activities using online mode. International students can study online from their home country for the time being as the time will be counted for their post-graduation work permit.
As of October 2020, Canadian institutes that have a government approved Coronavirus-readiness plan in place are eligible to welcome international students physically at their campus.
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will also be conducting the Parents and Grandparents program lottery for 2020 in the month of January and will invite up to 10,000 applicants to submit sponsorship applications in order to bring their parents and grandparents to Canada. Another PGP lottery for 2021 will take place later this year wherein up to 30,000 applicants will be invited to submit their sponsorship applications.
It is also expected that the cabinet members will be provided with a new mandate letter by Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by the end of this month. The new mandate letter to Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino will be outlining the priorities and targets which will be pursued in the coming years by the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Add comment