Government of Canada’s Immigration Planning Story: Operational Targets
Operational targets are based on, but not the same as, admission targets. The following definitions may be helpful in understanding the differences.
CIC’s annual immigration plan: Every year, CIC tables an immigration plan that outlines the number of permanent residents to be admitted in Canada.
Operational targets (in persons): The operational plan is established throughout all the processing offices worldwide in order to have admissions fall within the range set in the immigration plan. In recent years, the operational targets were based on the number of visas to be issued; however, in 2013 the operational targets were based on the total number of persons on applications to be finalized.
Applications finalized (in persons): Total number of persons on finalized applications, which includes all applications receiving any final decision (that is, approvals, refusals or withdrawals). One application may contain multiple persons if the principal applicant plans on immigrating to Canada with a spouse or partner and/or other dependants.
Admissions (in persons): The total number of new permanent residents who actually arrive in Canada and become permanent residents within a given year. The immigration plan sets a range for expected admissions in the various immigration categories.
| Immigration Category | In Canada Applications Finalized (in persons) (projected) |
Overseas Applications Finalized (in persons) (projected) |
Total Applications Finalized (in persons) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Skilled Workers | 77,700 | 77,700 | |
| Quebec-selected Skilled Workers | 36,200 | 36,200 | |
| Business | 17,150 | 17,150 | |
| Federal Business | 12,500 | 12,500 | |
| Quebec Business | 4,650 | 4,650 | |
| Live-in Caregiver Program | 4,460 | 6,000 | 10,460 |
| Provincial Nominees Program | 46,000 | 46,000 | |
| Canadian Experience Class | 12,700 | 12,700 | |
| Total Economic | 4,460 | 195,750 | 200,210 |
| Spouses, Partners and Children | 7,535 | 52,000 | 59,535 |
| Public Policy on in-Canada spouses/partners | 4,740 | 4,740 | |
| Parents and Grandparents | 27,750 | 27,750 | |
| Total Family | 12,275 | 79,750 | 92,025 |
| Government Assisted Refugees | 8,572 | 8,572 | |
| Privately Sponsored Refugees | 9,468 | 9,468 | |
| Visa Office Referred Refugees | 300 | 300 | |
| Protected Persons Landed in Canada | 8,945 | 8,945 | |
| Dependants Abroad of Protected Persons | 6,200 | 6,200 | |
| Total Refugee | 8,945 | 24,540 | 33,485 |
| Humanitarian & Compassionate | 10,725 | 10,725 | |
| Public Policy | 300 | 300 | |
| Permit Holders | 140 | 140 | |
| Total Others | 10,865 | 300 | 11,165 |
| Total Non-Economic | 32,085 | 104,590 | 136,675 |
| Grand Total | 36,545 | 300,340 | 336,885 |
NOTE : Total Applications Finalized includes all Positive Final Decisions, all Negative Decisions at all stages, and all Withdrawn applications (in persons).
- Date Modified:
