Canada’s Population Reaches New Milestone
Canada’s population reaches an exciting milestone this summer by reaching 40 million people. A large part of this growth is due to immigration. Nearly one in four people counted during the most recent census was, or had been a landed immigrant, one of the highest rates in Canada’s history.
Canadas Population Reaches Record 40 Million
This summer Canada’s population has reached 40 million people, a record for the country. Canada’s population is currently growing at a record-setting pace. In 2022, the number of Canadians rose by over 1 million. This marks the first time in Canadian history that our population grew by over 1 million people in a single year.
Canada continues to lead the G7 when it comes to population growth. Currently, it stands at 2.7% which is the highest it has been since 1957 when immigration and the baby boom helped to grow Canada’s population by 3.3%.
Immigration has played a large part in helping to grow the population in Canada. Temporary and permanent migration accounted for nearly all growth, about 96% in 2022. If it continues as it has been, current projections estimate that Canada’s population could reach 50 million by 2043. That would mean in 20 years, the population could grow by 10 million. For comparison, it took 26 years to go from 30 to 40 million.
Immigration has long been a key aspect of population growth in Canada. With Canada’s aging population, and a birth rate below the replacement rate, immigration has become essential to maintaining population growth for the country. In 2021, about 23% of the population were or had been at some point, a landed immigrant or PR in Canada. This was the highest proportion among the G7 and the largest proportion since the confederation.
Looking to the future, Canada will continue to aim for increased numbers of immigrants to maintain the population and fill key job roles. By 2025, Canada will aim to welcome half a million immigrants for the year. An increase of 35,000 compared to this year’s target of 465,000 newcomers.
Why is Immigration so Important for Canada?
Canada has historically welcomed high numbers of newcomers to help keep its economy strong. Currently, Canada is facing a unique period of historic labour shortages alongside nearly one million job vacancies. Both are driving factors in the country’s growing immigration targets.
According to Statistics Canada, the number of job openings across the country reached an all-time high at nearly one million. This was an increase of 2.7% from the previous peak in the last quarter and over 80% above pre-pandemic levels. This has been the highest on record in recent years.
Vacancies have continued to rise in specific key sectors. Some of the hardest hit has been the health care and social assistance sector. The healthcare and social assistance sector has been growing rapidly due to the aging population. The shortage has been further exasperated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As Canada faces an acute shortage of skilled workers, many businesses need help finding the right people to fill positions. To help address this problem, Canada has turned to immigration to fill record numbers of job openings, a trend that is expected to continue well into 2023 to help fill crucial positions.
Canada Plans to Welcome the Highest-Ever Number of Newcomers in the Coming Years
Critical labour market shortages have led many to turn to immigration as a path forward in addressing these vital shortages. The new 2023-2025 Immigration Plan embraces immigration as a strategy to help businesses find workers. It also aims to attract the skills required to fill key sectors, such as in health care, skilled trades, manufacturing and technology. This will help to manage the social and economic challenges facing Canada in the decades ahead.
Over the next three years, Canada will increase the number of new immigrants to the country each year. Canada will aim to welcome 465,000 new immigrants in 2023. The target will rise to 485,000 new immigrants in 2024. And it will again rise in 2025 to 500,000 new immigrants. The plan also brings an increased focus on attracting newcomers to different regions of the country, including small towns and rural communities.
The new plan also aims to increase regional programs to address targeted local labour market needs, through the Provincial Nominee Program, the Atlantic Immigration Program, and the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot.
How Can You Immigrate to Canada?
There are many pathways available to immigrate to Canada. Your skills, background and goals, will help you choose which program is best for you. For example, if you have family in Canada, you may want to go with family sponsorship, if you’re a French speaker, you may want to look into pathways for French speakers outside of Quebec.
However, if you are just beginning your search and you aren’t sure which pathway may be best for you, we recommend getting started by taking our free assessment to see what you may qualify for. Additionally, if you are just starting to look into ways to come to Canada, we suggest seeing if you qualify for Express Entry. As the most popular pathway for those looking to immigrate to Canada, it is a great place to start for many.
Express Entry is a system used by the Canadian government to manage applications for Canadian permanent residency. Express Entry uses a point-based system, the CRS, to rank candidates’ profiles. The system manages three main programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW);
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST); and
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Applying to Express Entry is a two-step procedure. The first step is to submit your profile with the required documents. Required documents usually consist of language test results, educational credentials and passport or travel documentation.
After you submit a profile and receive an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence, you can submit your complete application for the IRCC to review. Your complete application should include supporting documents such as reference letters, additional identity documents, police clearance certificates, and results of a medical examination.
Interested in learning more about your options to immigrate to Canada? Complete our free online assessment form today!
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