Immigration Spikes In September With Canada On Course For Record Annual Numbers

Immigration to Canada roared back to life in September with the number of new permanent residents to the country rising by almost a third over August’s relatively soft performance.

The latest Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data show Canada welcomed almost 30.7 per cent more new permanent residents in September, 44,495, compared to 34,050 in August.

August had seen the number of new permanent residents dip by 22.2 per cent from the 43,250 new permanent residents in July. 

September’s number of new permanent residents was the strongest monthly immigration performance this year. The last time more new permanent residents arrived in a single month was back in November last year when the country welcomed 47,625 new permanent residents.

By the end of the first nine months of this year, Canada had welcomed 353,840 new permanent residents, putting the country on track to hit a record-breaking level of 471,787 new permanent residents for the year. 

The current Immigration Levels Plan for 2022-2024 sets out an immigration target of 431,645 new permanent residents for this year.

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser’s newly-released Immigration Levels Plan for 2023-2025 sets the immigration target for next year at 465,000. 

The immigration target for 2024 is 485,000 new permanent residents and the country is hoping to welcome 500,000 new permanent residents in 2025.

With Canada on track to welcome 471,787 new permanent residents this year, the country is on its way to bust this year’s immigration target by almost 9.3 per cent.

That would also put immigration to Canada this year on track to beat even next year’s much-higher immigration target by 6,787 new permanent residents, or just a smidgeon under 1.5 per cent.

Ontario Saw The Biggest Gain In New Permanent Residents In September

Across the country, immigration picked up in almost every province and territory in September except for the Atlantic Canadian province of Prince Edward Island where the number of new permanent residents that month slide by 1.9 per cent compared to the number in August and the Yukon territory where the level of immigration remained stable.

In Central Canada, the province of Ontario saw the biggest absolute jump in immigration in September over the previous month, with 4,555 more new permanent residents. That was an almost 32.8 per cent rise in immigration. 

The biggest percentage jump in monthly immigration in September in Canada was in the Northwest Territories but that was on a very small base and so meant an increase of only 15 new permanent residents to the territory. 

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Among the provinces, the biggest percentage spike in monthly immigration in September was in in the Prairie province of Alberta. The number of new permanent residents there in September jumped almost 47.7 per cent to hit 4,925.

In the province next door, Manitoba, monthly immigration rose by more than 38.2 per cent in September over August to reach 2,495 new permanent residents.

British Columbia’s monthly immigration numbers rose by more than 28.1 per cent in September, those in Quebec climbed by more than 18.4 per cent, and New Brunswick increased by 13 per cent.

In the Atlantic Canadian province with the biggest city in the region, Nova Scotia, monthly immigration rose by about 15 per cent in September.

Newfoundland and Labrador’s monthly immigration level jumped by 25 per cent, the biggest percentage gain in Atlantic Canada.