Canada Aims To bring 1.2M New Permanent Residents

The Canadian Government says it targets accepting 1.2 million immigrants from 2021 to 2023 even with interference generated by the global pandemic.<br /><br />Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino said what he called an "ambitious" three-year immigration plan today that set targets for bringing skilled workers, family members and refugees into Canada.<br /><br />Canada is planning to bring 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021, 411,000 in 2022 and 421,000 in 2023.<br /><br />“The key to both short-term economic recovery and long-term prosperity is immigration,” Mendicino said, according to AFP.<br /><br />“As with every other aspect of our lives, the pandemic has affected migration to Canada,” the minister commented.<br /><br />Last year's plan promised to bring in more than one million immigrants over a three-year period, but the COVID-19 crisis and the resulting travel restrictions have slowed down the process.<br /><br />At a news conference in Ottawa today, Mendicino said immigrants drive the population and economic growth that pays for vital programs such as health care.<br /><br />"Put simply, we need more workers, and immigration is the way to get there," he said.