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

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

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“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.”

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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.

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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.”