Canada Meets "Ambitious" Target Of 401,000 New PRs

Canada met its target of giving permanent residency to 401,000 foreigners by 2021 by focusing on temporary residents already in the country, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said on Thursday.

Despite the fact that immigration drives Canada's economy and supports its aging population, the number of new permanent residents fell over 45% to 185,000 in 2020, when borders were primarily closed due to pandemic.

The majority of the new 401,000 PRs - a figure reached for the first time in more than a century - was already in Canada on temporary status, according to a statement from the immigration minister.

"Last year, we set an ambitious goal. Today, we achieved it," Fraser said.

Liberal PM Justin Trudeau's government has relied on immigration to boost the Canadian economy since coming to power in 2015, setting an annual target of about 1% of the country's population of nearly 38 million.

The government hopes to add 411,000 new permanent residents next year.

According to official data released earlier on Thursday, Canada's economy likely expanded for the sixth consecutive month in November, nearing pre-pandemic levels.