Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has announced that Canada hopes to welcome between 240,000 and 265,000 new permanent residents in 2010. By achieving these figures, Canada will maintain the same level of migrant arrivals it experienced in 2008 and 2009.
One difference, however, is to be expected: a higher proportion of immigrants to Canada will be nominated or sponsored by the provinces and territories than ever before.
“While other countries have cut back immigration levels as a short term response to the global economic downturn, our government is actually maintaining its immigration levels to meet the country's medium- to long-term economic needs,” said the minister.
Back in 2008, the minister told parliament that an expected 20,000 to 26,000 provincial nominees would arrive in Canada. The number has now increased to 37,000 to 40,000. Québec, which chooses its own migrants in a separate process, has also seen the number of foreign residents increase by 10% over 2009, and is expecting a further increase in 2010.
