The announcement comes amid warnings from the Liberal Party’s economic council of advisers that Canada needs to raise immigration levels by the tens of thousands in order to ensure better economic growth. The council recommended the government gradually increase immigration levels to 450,000 per year over the next five years, Xinhua news agency reported.
The target number of immigrants from 2011 to 2015 was 2,60,000, but swelled to 3,00,000 this year because of what Mr. McCallum called the “special circumstances” of the Syrian refugee crisis.
There has been much debate over the targeted immigration number at a time when Canada struggles with high unemployment.
The 2017 target boosts entries for those in the economic class — skilled workers, business people and care-givers — to 1,72,500 from 1,60,600.
In the family class, the number of sponsored spouses, partners, children, parents and grandparents will climb to 84,000 from 80,000.
(Sourced from agencies, feature image courtesy:thechive.com)
