Canada likely to exceed immigration target for 2022

OTTAWA, Aug 24 (Reuters) – Canada is likely to exceed its goal of providing permanent residency to more than 430,000 immigrants, according to government data. Minister Sean Fraser said in Vancouver on Wednesday that an additional 1,250 administrative staff would be hired to process the record number of applications. According to Fraser, Canadian officials are currently overwhelmed with the number of applications: As of July alone, 3.7 million applications for initial temporary residence permits had been received. About 54 percent of all applications are now classified as delayed.

Since taking office in 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has set an annual immigration target of about one percent of the population. Last year the number stood at 37 million, up 5.2 percent from 2016, according to official figures. The purpose of immigration policy is to boost the economy and support an aging society.