VO Visas A review of Canadian immigration in 2021

The coronavirus pandemic continued to influence the direction of Canada's immigration system in 2021.

The onset of the coronavirus pandemic changed the course of Canada’s immigration system in 2020 and while things have stabilized, the pandemic caused IRCC to make major adjustments in 2021.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) entered 2021 facing difficult circumstances. Immigration application backlogs were growing, many newcomers such as Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) holders waited in limbo overseas, COVID case levels were high at home and around the world, vaccination rates remained low, travel restrictions and Canada’s public health measures posed difficulties for newcomers looking to enter the country, and despite all this, the federal government mandated IRCC with landing 401,000 new permanent residents this year.