what we can expect from Canada’s immigration system following a turbulent year
2020 was the year of the coronavirus pandemic, which continues to have a significant impact on Canada’s immigration system.
After welcoming 341,000 new immigrants in 2019, Canada continued to accept high levels of new immigrants at the start of last year but the immigration system was completely upended when COVID-19 emerged as a global crisis in March 2020.
Canada’s COVID-19 travel restrictions have been in effect since March 18th, limiting the numbers of foreign nationals who can currently enter the country.
However, the Express Entry system, Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) and other forms of immigration processing continue to function.
The fluid nature of the coronavirus crisis means much remains uncertain as to what we can expect from Canada’s immigration system in 2021.
But, there are certainties in place which will benefit both Canada and future newcomers in 2021 and beyond.
Canada’s immigration system will not return to normal until the pandemic is over.
Fortunately, the end of the pandemic is in sight due to the emergence and approval of several vaccines.
Canada began the largest vaccination campaign in its history in December and aims to vaccinate all those who want COVID-19 inoculation by September 2021.
Vaccinating Canada’s residents will be one component to returning the country and its immigration system to normal.
The other component is ensuring the global population and foreign nationals travelling into Canada are free from the virus.
Travel restrictions implemented by Canada throughout 2020 provide some sense of what COVID-19 policies it could continue to enforce even as the spread of the coronavirus begins to subside.
