Canada has seen an unprecendented surge in its population of non-permanent residents (NPRs) in 2023, marking the steepest single-year rise in at least five decades of available data, according to a recent report by Statistics Canada (StatCan). The statistics indicate an overall NPR growth of just over 80% since the fourth quarter of 2021.

A CTVNews report quoted the data released last week, revealing that the NPR population in Canada grew by over half a million people in 2023, reaching a total of 2.5 million as of October, compared to 1.7 million during the same period last year. This growth breaks previous year-to-year records, tripling the increase observed between the summers of 2018 and 2019.

StatCan, in an emailed statement to CTVNews, attributed this surge to the relaxation of COVID-19 travel restrictions and the increased processing of work and study permits by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This aligns with a broader trend seen in 2023, as the country continues to rebound from the pandemic’s impact.

The report also highlights a methodological update by StatCan in estimating NPR population data. The agency clarified that this adjustment, implemented in 2021/22, had a minor impact of around five percent on the estimated growth in NPR totals. The agency underscored that such methodological updates are routine, aimed at maintaining relevance, and have minimal effects on the overall Canadian population estimate.

In recent years, the NPR population’s fastest growth has been observed among work-permit holders, with the count reaching 1.6 million nationwide this quarter, up from approximately 830,000 in late 2021.

The latest data reveals that the majority of Canada’s 2.5 million NPRs currently hold work permits, with close to one million authorized for studying in the country. This figure encompasses asylum claimants, a significant portion of whom also possess either work or study permits, or both.

This demographic upswing aligns with what IRCC describes as record-breaking numbers for new permits, surpassing 1.5 million for workers and one million for students processed, finalized, or extended in the current year. The shift in Canada’s NPR demographics reflects the dynamic nature of immigration patterns and the country’s openness to welcoming a diverse range of individuals on a temporary basis.