Canada welcomes historic number of newcomers in 2022

The federal government reached its target of 431,645 new permanent residents in 2022 – the largest number of people ever welcomed in a year in Canadian history.

Prior to setting a new record for admissions in 2021, the last time Canada welcomed such a large numbers of newcomers was in 1913.

“Today marks an important milestone for Canada, setting a new record for newcomers welcomed in a single year. It is a testament to the strength and resilience of our country and its people. Newcomers play an essential role in filling labour shortages, bringing new perspectives and talents to our communities, and enriching our society as a whole. I am excited to see what the future holds and look forward to another historic year in 2023 as we continue to welcome newcomers,” said Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

The federal government says immigration is a key part of the solution to acute labour market shortages in the country.

The 2022-2024 Immigration Levels Plan was tabled on February 14, 2022 and the 2023-2025 Immigration Levels Plan was tabled on November 1, 2022.

Immigration accounts for almost 100 per cent of Canada’s labour force growth. Roughly 75 per cent of Canada’s population growth comes from immigration, mostly in the economic category. By 2036, immigrants will represent up to 30 per cent of Canada’s population, compared with 20.7 per cent in 2011, said the government.

(Mario Toneguzzi is Managing Editor of Canada’s Podcast. He has more than 40 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist, and editor. He worked for 35 years at the Calgary Herald, covering sports, crime, politics, health, faith, city and breaking news, and business. He works as well as a freelance writer for several national publications and as a consultant in communications and media relations/training. Mario was named in 2021 as one of the Top 10 Business Journalists in the World by PR News – the only Canadian to make the list)