New research findings show that Canada has gradually narrowed the gap with the United States in attracting and retaining new permanent residents.
The Association for Canadian Studies has observed that the annual number of permanent residents admitted to the United States remains below pre-COVID-19 levels, while Canada has set a new single-year record, l last year.
In 2021, new permanent residents in the United States numbered just over 738,000, a far cry from the total of over one million recorded in 2019. Meanwhile, new permanent residents in Canada in 2021 were numbering more than 405,000, and the federal government plans to exceed that figure in each of the next three years.
Last year, Toronto overtook the New York area as the most popular destination for new permanent residents.
Business leaders say the government should focus even more on attracting skilled migrants than it already does and do more to ensure their credentials and qualifications are recognized.
Housing is also an issue, says the Association for Canadian Studies.
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