Backgrounder - 2006 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration

The 2006 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration announces the government’s immigration plan for 2007; presents an overview of Canada’s immigration program, including key initiatives and challenges; provides information on the selection of permanent and temporary residents in 2005; gives a mid-year update on the permanent residents admitted in 2006; and summarizes key activities undertaken in collaboration with the provinces and territories. Under section 94 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration must table the report on or before November 1 of each year.

Highlights of the Report

• The government plans to admit between 240,000 and 265,000 new permanent residents in 2007. This compares to a range of 225,000 to 255,000 in 2006. Mid-year statistics show that the numbers for 2006 will likely be in the upper end of this range.

Historic Planned Ranges 1995-2007

• 2007: 240,000 to 265,000
• 2006: 225,000 to 255,000
• 2005: 220,000 to 245,000
• 2004: 220,000 to 245,000
• 2003: 220,000 to 245,000
• 2002: 210,000 to 235,000
• 2001: 200,000 to 225,000
• 2000: 200,000 to 225,000
• 1999: 200,000 to 225,000
• 1998: 200,000 to 225,000
• 1997: 195,000 to 220,000
• 1996: 195,000 to 220,000
• 1995: 190,000 to 215,000

In 2005, Canada admitted 262,236 new permanent residents. This figure is above the planned range of 220,000 to 245,000, partly because immigrants used their visas faster in 2005 than in 2004. CIC can control the number of visas issued, but not when people choose to use them. The average time between visa issuance and immigrant arrival in Canada declined by close to 30 days in 2005.

Economic Class

• The planned range for the economic class in 2007 is 141,000 to 158,000. This compares to a planned range of 126,000 to 143,000 in 2006. The economic class includes skilled workers, business immigrants, provincial nominees, live-in caregivers and their dependants.

Family Class

• The planned range for the family class in 2007 is 67,000 to 69,000 newcomers. This compares to a range of 61,000 to 65,000 for 2006. The 2007 planned range includes between 18,000 and 19,000 parents and grandparents, maintaining the same number of parents and grandparents planned for in 2006.

Refugees and Other Protected Persons

• The planned range for 2007 is between 25,900 and 30,800 refugees and other protected persons. This compares to a planned range of 32,800 to 40,300 in 2006. In 2005, Canada admitted 35,768 refugees and other protected persons.
• The expected decline in the number of asylum claims in 2007 is a reflection of a number of factors, most notably a broader global decline in the number of asylum seekers since 2001. In contrast, the 2007 planned levels include an increase in the number of refugees abroad to be resettled to Canada through the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program. The program provides Canadians with the opportunity to help refugees abroad build a new life in Canada.
• The planned range for privately sponsored refugees for 2007 is 3,000 to 4,500. This compares to a range of 3,000 to 4,000 in 2006.

Other Statistical Highlights

• In 2005, 6,806 people were granted permanent resident status on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, or for other reasons (2.6% of the total).
• There were 13,970 temporary resident permits issued in 2005 to persons seeking to enter Canada. Temporary resident permits are given to people who have compelling reasons to travel to or remain in Canada (such as family reasons, humanitarian grounds, etc.).
• In 2005, Canada issued temporary visas to an additional 1,077,286 people. This number included 99,146 visas issued for temporary foreign workers; 57,476 new study permits granted for international students; and 920,664 temporary visitor visas.

The report also highlights CIC’s partnerships with provincial and territorial governments. This overview includes a list of the federal/provincial-territorial agreements currently in force and summarizes the key joint initiatives. In 2005, 8,047 permanent residents were admitted through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to meet provincial and territorial needs. The PNP allows provincial and territorial governments to actively participate in the immigration process. CIC currently has formal agreements with 10 provinces and territories for the nomination of an agreed-upon number of individuals to fill regional and local economic or social needs.

Canada’s Immigration Policies — Comments

• Over the years, there have been many reports and alleged promises of a one-percent immigration intake target for Canada. However, government statistics show that not once in the past 13 years has Canada’s immigration intake met a target of one percent of the population.

• The 2006 Budget included increased settlement funding, which had remained at the same level in recent years despite rising levels of immigration. Canada’s new government committed $307 million for settlement funding in the 2006 Budget.

For more information, including historical landing patterns, see the publication entitled Facts and Figures.