Immigration to Canada is projected to surge in the second half of this year as the labour market recovers and severe COVID-19 public health regulations are loosened.
That is especially excellent news for people wanting to come to Canada under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, or the provinces' economic and commercial class of programmes under the Provincial Nominee Programs.
The June Labour Force Survey, issued on Friday, June 9, provided the most recent encouraging indications for the Canadian economy.
“As economic limitations began to loosen throughout most of Canada, the labour market responded with robust job increases concentrated in areas where the constraints had been most punishing,” writes Liam Daly, an economist with the Conference Board of Canada.
According to the Canadian economic think tank, employment in Canada is presently within 1.8% of pre-pandemic levels.
Employment Rises By 230,000
“June's labour force survey revealed a labour market recovering, with total employment rising by 230,000,” Daley said. “The reopening of the economy happening across Canada shows that the labour market has reached an inflection point, moving past the third wave and into a phase of recovery highlighted by growing employment in some of the economy's hardest-hit areas, such as high-contact services.”
During the pandemic, stringent travel restrictions to stem the spread of COVID-19 led Canada's population growth rate to drop to a trickle, emphasising the country's reliance on immigration.
Statistics Canada issued population projections for the fourth quarter of 2020 in March of this year. They demonstrated the pandemic's significant influence on Canadian population growth by drop in immigration.
“After border and travel restrictions were implemented in March 2020 to combat the spread of COVID-19, this number dropped to 58%. In 2020, the population increase due to foreign migration was more than 80% lower than in 2019.”
According to Ottawa's current proposal, Canada will welcome almost 1.2 million migrants between 2021 and 2023, with 401,000 new permanent citizens arriving this year, 411,000 in 2022, and 421,000 in 2023.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, the prior plan was for 351,000 deaths in 2021 and 361,000 deaths in 2022.
After August 9, international students arriving in Canada will not be required to stay three nights in a government-designated "quarantine hotel," but they will still be required to have 14-day quarantine arrangements.
“The Government of Canada recognizes the tremendous social, cultural and economic benefits that international students bring to Canada and acknowledges that there are benefits for students who choose to study in Canada beyond earning a degree or diploma,” noted Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in a statement released Monday.
“As a result, during the epidemic, IRCC has worked to accommodate foreign students by implementing a number of temporary policy adjustments, including steps to assist international students studying online from other countries.”
When Ottawa declared on Monday that the border will reopen in three weeks, it also said that numerous public health restrictions would be lifted.
However, they do not take effect immediately, but rather on August 9th.
Unvaccinated travellers travelling to Canada must remain in a hotel for three nights while waiting for their COVID-19 results on arrival.
On July 22, a total of 4,500 Express Entry applicants were invited to apply for Canadian permanent residency.
The Immigration Department of Canada welcomed individuals with a minimum score of 357. To be invited, candidates had to be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Furthermore, if they had the minimal score, they were only included if they had already submitted their profiles before February 14, 2021 at 09:04:15 UTC, as per the tie-break rule.
The last CEC invitation cycle had 4,500 applicants, with a cutoff score of 369. However, the previous CEC round had a cutoff of 357 as well. This draw has the second lowest score ever for a CEC draw. On February 13, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) welcomed CEC applicants with scores of at least 75.
According to a summary released by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office, the Canadian border may open in mid-August for US citizens and in September for everyone else.
According to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office, the Canada-US border may open to fully vaccinated travellers in mid-August, and to all other nations in early September.
The prime minister met with provincial leaders and the minister of intergovernmental relations on July 15 to discuss a variety of issues. Among them were immunization rates in Canada and the border.
According to Trudeau's office, assuming Canada's existing vaccination rate and public health circumstances hold, the government will be able to welcome fully vaccinated travellers from all nations by early September.
Citizens and permanent residents of the United States who have been fully vaccinated may be permitted to enter as early as mid-August. Canada and the United States have been in continuous talks about restoring the common land border, which has been closed since March 2020.
Approximately 80% of Canadians have gotten their first dose of the COVID vaccine, with more than 50% completely immunised. The Trudeau administration previously claimed that 75% of Canadians would need to be completely vaccinated before measures could be rolled back further. The partial reopening of Canada's borders started on July 5, when fully vaccinated Canadians and other exempt travellers were permitted to bypass the entire 14-day required quarantine. Canadian citizens, permanent residents, family members, new immigrants, employees, and international students are all exempt.
Non-essential travellers, on the other hand, are still banned from entering. Business leaders in hard-hit industries, like tourism, have pressed the administration for a strategy to restore the border securely.
More information on border reopening measures would be given “early next week,” according to the briefing. The existing border restrictions in Canada remain in force until Wednesday, July 21.
Canada has opened its borders to its approved permanent residents after 15 months. They can now officially immigrate to Canada when they arrive at the border. Granted, they will be subject to the same public health measures that affect all incoming travellers.
Immigration Minister, Marco Mendicino, opened up Canada's border to approved permanent residents on June 21, 2021. These individuals who had received their Confirmation of Permanent Residency (COPR) document after March 18, 2020, were not exempt from travel restrictions. Canadian officials said there are about 23,000 COPR holders outside Canada. Those whose documents are still valid are now exempt from travel restrictions. What's more fully vaccinated travellers can skip mandatory quarantine.
Fully vaccinated COPRs can skip quarantine
All exempt travellers to Canada are subject to the new measures for people who are fully vaccinated starting July 5, 2021, at 11:59 pm EDT. These travellers will just have to quarantine at home while they wait for their COVID-19 test results at the border.
IRCC recommends that all family members included in the permanent residency application should travel to Canada at the same time, if possible.
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