Pandemic and Canadian immigration – Will Canada remain appealing to immigrants after the pandemic?
The outbreak of Covid-19 has taken down many businesses and dreams. Canada, which was known as the dream destination for global talent before the pandemic, is also suffering.
More than one million people from around the world used to arrive in Canada each year. These include new permanent residents, temporary foreign workers, and international students. But after the arrival of the pandemic, things did not remain the same as before.
At this point, it is necessary to assess whether the changes have affected the attractiveness of Canada or not. Do people still want to come and live in Canada?
Frankly, people are attracted by Canada’s high standard of living, beauty, facilities, economic opportunities, open immigration system, welcoming attitude, and the lifestyle of its people.
According to a Canadian Bureau for International Education survey, international students are more likely to study in Canada because they find Canada to be a safe, tolerant, reputable, and non-discriminatory society. These are the reasons why the list of newcomers always includes a large number of international students.
However, after the spread of Covid-19, things have become more difficult in Canada, such as delays in processing applications, confirmation of permanent residence holders who are still not allowed to move to Canada. The Canadian economy has also been weak lately. These situations can affect the attractiveness of Canada and can be frustrating for newcomers.
In this situation, it has also become more difficult for newcomers to find suitable jobs; however, like the rest of the world, Canada is also struggling to get its economy back on track. While not retaining its entire economy, Canada has managed to recover some of it.
So, it is fair to say that Canada still has the appeal to attract international talent.
Why is Canada still a place of attraction for global talents?
As mentioned above, Canada has been able to turn around part of its economy. To do this, it took out loans from various countries. To wean that amount of money, they increased the interest of the locals. That’s when the federal government stepped in and asked the Bank of Canada to lower the interest rates. Once the economy is back to normal, the locals will pay off the COVID debt.
This argument has created a win-win situation for many, especially students and those who have lost their jobs.
Additionally, in 2020, WES (World Education Services) surveyed approximately 28,000 potential immigrants to find out why they are still interested in Canada. After a survey, they found 3 main findings.
• People are more likely to immigrate to Canada after the 2020 pandemic.
• The number of respondents who are looking to delay immigration to Canada has decreased.
• According to respondents, Canada’s economic conditions are better than those in their country.
Conclusion!
Based on these findings, we can say that the pandemic has not harmed immigrant interest and that there are still many people looking for ways to settle in Canada. Although the number of prospective immigrants might not the same as before, However the ratio has not decreased significantly. In addition, Canada seems to be recovering from this pandemic faster than other countries.
