Quebec Sets Target Of 70,500 Immigrants In 2022 To Make Up COVID-19 Shortfall

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Quebec Sets Target Of 70,500 Immigrants In 2022 To Make Up COVID-19 Shortfall
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Quebec’s new Immigration Levels Plan, tabled in the National Assembly on Thursday, will see up to 70,500 new immigrants welcomed in 2022.

The figures, announced by Deputy Immigration Minister Jean Boulet, include 52,500 newcomers under the previously announced plan, and 18,000 intended to make up the deficit of newcomers registered during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The rebalancing figure is high because Quebec immigration is forecasting that it will fail to reach its 2021 immigration target.

Last year, the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) planned to welcome up to 54,500 newcomers in 2021, including 7,000 to help make up the shortfall seen in 2020, at the height of the pandemic.

But figures announced on Thursday show Quebec will only welcome a maximum of 47,100 newcomers this year, a number that could drop as low as 43,100.


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Quebec’s 2021 Immigration Levels Plan

Results

Plan 2021

Forecast 2021

Plan 2022

2019

2020

Rebalancing

MIN

MAX

MIN

MAX

Rebalancing

MIN

MAX

Economic

23,129

12,772

4,600

27,500

29,300

25,300

27,800

12,700

32,000

33,900

– Skilled Workers

19,098

11,477

3,500

22,900

24,200

23,500

25,600

12,700

27,400

28,800

– Business

3,387

1,106

1,000

4,000

4,300

1,800

2,100

0

4,000

4,300

– Other Economic

644

189

100

600

800

0

100

0

600

800

Family Reunification

9,686

7,792

1,550

9,700

10,200

11,000

11,400

1,000

10,200

10,600

Refugees

7,248

4,184

850

6,900

7,500

5,500

6,300

1,500

6,900

7,500

Other Immigrants

502

475

0

400

500

1,300

1,600

2,800

400

500

TOTAL

40,565

25,223

7,000

44,500

47,500

43,100

47,100

18,000

49,000

52,500


“Our government is resolutely committed to ensuring that immigration contributes to a strong recovery of the Quebec economy, to the vitality of the French language and of our regions,” Boulet said. 

“This responsible immigration plan, which includes the necessary catch-up to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on admissions, is accompanied by all the measures that we have put in place for the francisation and integration of immigrants. 

“For immigration to help meet the current challenges of labour shortages, it is imperative that permanent residences be issued more quickly by the federal government.”


Quebec Immigration in 2022: Breakdown

Economic Category

The economic category will continue to be the dominant one for Quebec immigration, likely contributing up to 46,600 in 2022, or 66 per cent of the total (including rebalancing). Quebec is set to welcome up to 27,800 economic immigrants in 2021.

Family Reunification

Including the rebalancing, family reunification is slated to total 11,600 newcomers in 2022, or 16 per cent of the total, up slightly on the 11,400 expected to be welcomed in 2021.

Refugees

Quebec is planning to welcome up to 9,000 refugees in 2022, when the rebalancing figures are added. This amounts to 13 per cent of the total figure, and is up from 6,300 in 2021.

Other Immigrants

In the ‘other immigrants’ category, Quebec expects to welcome 3,100 newcomers in 2022, or 4 per cent of the total. It will welcome up to 1,600 in the category in 2021.


MIFI says the extra capacity in 2022 will allow an acceleration of the processing of permanent resident applications under Quebec’s Special Program for Asylum Seekers, submitted during the COVID-19 period.

It also says the backlog of applications from international students under the Quebec Expereince Program will also be cleared, “thereby favouring the economic immigration of applicants who are already in Quebec and who have good knowledge of French.”

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