CANADA AIMS TO BRING IN 1.5 MILLION IMMIGRANTS

The Canadian federal government recently announced a plan to fill the gap in its economy due to Baby Boomers leaving the workforce.The plan aims to take in 500,000 immigrants a year by 2025. That means almost 1.5 million immigrants over the next three years.

To keep the population and the economy growing, Canada has always welcomed permanent residents. Although these residents don’t have citizenship, they have the right to stay in the country indefinitely.

The BBC reports that Canada has an aging population with a lower birth rate. What that means is that if the country wants to grow, instead of shrink, it will have to bring in immigrants.

In 2021, Canada already took in 405,000 permanent residents. It’s the biggest number in the country’s history. It has the highest number of immigrants among the G7 countries with about one in four Canadians having come from another country as an immigrant.

While authorities might be excited at the thought of welcoming new immigrants, locals might not feel the same way. Leger and the Association of Canadian Studies recently did a poll where three out of four Canadians who participated, said that they were somewhat or very concerned about the effect the new plan would have on housing and social services.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault is worried that more immigrants would weaken the French language in the province.

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