India / Indians account for one-fourth of total PR granted by Canada in 2019, set record

New Delhi: Canada's 2020 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration has stated that the Indian immigrants were the top permanent residents in 2019 in the country.

In 2019, the Justin Trudeau-led government welcomed over 3,41,000 permanent residents, including 30,000 resettled refugees and over 4,02,000 study permits and 4,04,000 temporary work permits were also issued.

Of the 3,41,180 permanent residents, there were 85,593 Indians, which is 25 per cent of the total permanent residents in 2019. It included 41,163 Indian women and 44,430 men. India was followed by China at 30,246, the Philippines at 27,818, Nigeria at 12,602 and Pakistan at 10,793.

"Canada continues to be a safe and welcoming destination for immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers. Immigrants enrich Canada beyond measure, and no accounting of our progress over the last century and a half is complete without including the contributions of newcomers," said Canada's Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marco EL Mendicino.

He added, "Even as we adjust to the extraordinary challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot lose sight of the enormous benefits immigration presents to our prosperity and way of life. Newcomers bring their heritage and culture, but also their talent, ideas and perspectives."

"With an investment of $7.6 million over 4 years, the Department selected seven organizations to provide intensive language training to newcomers in Francophone communities," claimed Mendicino.

As per the report, the net immigration accounted for 80% of Canada’s population increase between 2017 and 2018, with the remaining 20% accounted for through natural increase. Canada's population growth between 2018 and 2019, at 1.4%, was reportedly the highest rate of growth among G7 nations. 

In 2019, Canada resettled the highest number of refugees worldwide, for the second year in a row and was also the fifth-largest financial contributor to the International Organization for Migration.

Canada also developed its 2021-2023 Immigration Levels Plan considering the evolving situation of COVID-19 and its implications for permanent resident admissions. The plan aims at admitting 4,01,000 new permanent residents by 2021. They also projected 4,11,000 admissions by 2022 and 4,21,000 in 2023.