The federal government is planning a huge increase in the number of immigrants entering Canada, aiming to see 500,000 people arrive each year by 2025. Immigration Minister Sean Fraser unveiled the new targets today, saying the move is necessary to ensure Canada’s economic well-being. Canadian industries are facing a significant labor shortage, with approximately 1 million job vacancies across the country. The new plan emphasizes increasing the number of immigrants who will be admitted based on their work skills or experience over the next three years. Ottawa plans a more modest increase in the number of family members admitted into the country and a decrease in the number of refugees. The new plan comes days after Statistics Canada reported that 23 per cent of people in the country are immigrants or permanent residents. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on November 1, 2022
