Immigration law
Canada's Immigration System
In the past few decades, Canada has gained global acclaim as one of the most welcoming nations to immigrants. Immigrants, by 2021, comprised close to 23% of Canada's population—the highest since Confederation in 1867 and one of the highest of G7 countries. Canada's diverse multicultural population injects vitality into its workforce, drives economic development, and assists in mitigating the effects of an aging population.
Canada's immigration sped up in recent years even further, especially when the United States closed its borders closer under President Donald Trump. Even though President Joe Biden rolled back most of those policies, the U.S. and Canada also pledged to accept and process cross-border asylum claims tighter—renewing the Safe Third Country Agreement in 2023 to shut down irregular arrivals, especially at hotspots such as Roxham Road in Quebec.
In the meantime, Canada is in need of labour, and healthcare workers and skilled tradespeople are in greatest demand. Immigrants are still the solution to this issue, but the system has its flaws. Mounting levels of asylum claims, increasing deportations, and accusations of exploitation among temporary foreign workers have put pressure on Canada's immigration machine.
Who Moves to Canada—And Where Do They Go
Canada accepted more than 437,000 new permanent residents in 2022. The initial figures reported by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) indicate that it reached a record high of more than 471,000 people in 2023. India remains the top country of origin, with China, the Philippines, Nigeria, and Afghanistan coming next.
In the years to come, the federal government intends to accept 500,000 new permanent residents every year by 2025, in line with Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan 2023–2025.
Most of the arrivals like to come to Ontario—nearly 44% of all new arrivals between 2016 and 2021—but most reside within the Greater Toronto Area. British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec are also preferred.
Most of the arrivals like to come to Ontario—nearly 44% of all new arrivals between 2016 and 2021—but most reside within the Greater Toronto Area. British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec are also preferred.
How Does Canada’s Immigration System Work?
Canada has four primary streams of permanent residency:
1. Economic Immigration
This is the largest group. In 2022, 58% of the immigrants came in under economic streams such as:
-
- Express Entry, a points system that considers age, education, work experience, and language ability (English or French).
- Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), under which provinces are able to nominate candidates to address particular local labour market needs.
- Quebec’s Skilled Worker Program, which is separate.
Express Entry claims generally take six months’ time. The lowest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off ranking qualifying has also been varied; recently, it has invited those with 490–500 rankings.
2. Family Reunification
Around 22% were family-sponsored. Canadians and permanent residents may sponsor spouse, partner, children, parents, or grandparents. Same-sex couples and common-law unions, not being married but otherwise, are also accepted by Canada.
3. Refugees and Protected Persons
Canada resettled over 47,000 refugees in 2022, still the world’s top resettlement country for refugees. There are two streams:
- Government-Assisted Refugees, referred by the UNHCR.
- Privately Sponsored Refugees, sponsored by Canadian citizens or groups of individuals who agree to sponsor them financially and emotionally.
All the refugees are screened for security and background prior to arrival and are also given permanent resident status upon arrival.
4. Humanitarian and Other Reasons
It is a restricted class that comprises individuals experiencing uncommon challenges, such as victims of domestic violence or stateless persons. Individuals in this class are examined individually under Section 25(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
What About Asylum Seekers?
Canada makes the asylum seekers qualified to enter through airport, border, or in-country immigration office. They differ from resettled refugees—who are not pre-approved and claim asylum upon arrival in Canada.
Nearly 40,000 asylum seekers arrived in Canada at official ports of entry in 2022. While it was a nice-sounding thing to utter as a political cliche, Canadian law (IRPA) guarantees everyone the right to present an asylum claim and have it responded to.
Asylum claimants may apply for a work permit while in process, a process that can take up to two years. They may then apply for permanent residence after a successful process. In 2022, over 8,500 people were removed from Canada, 23 on average every day, most commonly due to their asylum claim having failed or a breach of immigration law.
How Do Immigrants Adapt?
Canada is an expensive investment in assisting immigrants to settle in society. In 2022, the federal government invested about $2.1 billion in settlement services, including:
- English and French language training
- Job services
- Housing support
- Community orientation
All this assistance causes newcomers to thrive and ensures that the nation has a high naturalization level—more than 85% of would-be immigrants become Canadian citizens.
But roadblocks do exist. Immigrants in general find it difficult to break into their qualified occupation, and most particularly within tightly regulated industries like health or engineering. Ability in the recognized credentials and a mastery of languages often act as giant stumbling blocks.
Why It Pays to Employ a Canadian Immigration Lawyer?
The Canadian immigration apparatus is robust but among the world’s most restricted. Rules about who can immigrate and adherence to the system processes make life harder.
Hiring a licensed Canadian immigration lawyer or Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) can help you:
- Avoid costly mistakes in applications
- Strengthen your case with professional documentation
- Navigate appeals or refusals
- Understand your rights and responsibilities
Given the volume of applications Canada receives each year and the complexity of its immigration laws, having expert guidance significantly improves your chances of success.