ANALYSIS: This will be the first Immigration Levels Plan announcement since October 2020. It will be announced by February 11, 2022.

The Canadian government will provide a major update by February when it announces its Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024.

The announcement will contain Canada’s immigration targets for this year, and the next two years, as well as the number of new immigrants Canada will seek to welcome under its various economic, family, and humanitarian class programs. It will be the first such announcement since Canada made the surprise announcement in October 2020 it would seek to welcome over 400,000 new immigrants per year moving forward, or about 40,000 more per year than its previous targets.

Under Canada’s main immigration law, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), the federal government must make this announcement by November 1st of each year when Parliament is sitting. If Parliament is not sitting, the announcement must be made within 30 sitting days of Parliament reconvening.

The current plan aims to welcome 241,500 economic class immigrants to Canada this year through the likes of Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program, Quebec’s programs, among other pathways. This accounts for 59 per cent of Canada’s immigration target.

IRCC is looking to welcome 103,500 family class immigrants through the Spouses, Partners, and Children Program and the Parents and Grandparents Program. This is 26 per cent of IRCC’s immigration target.

The remaining 66,000, or 15 per cent of the newcomer target, will be welcomed to Canada on refugee and humanitarian and compassionate grounds.