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Canada welcomed 53,514 new permanent residents (principal applicants, spouses and dependants) in the final quarter of 2003 (see table 1), an increase of almost 28% in comparison with the final quarter of 2002. This brought the total number to 221,340 for 2003—slightly above the lower end of the 220,000 to 245,000 range established in the Immigration Plan for 2003.
In this quarter, economic immigrants accounted for almost 49% (26,010) of new permanent residents. This included 22,030 skilled workers, 1,515 business immigrants, 1,122 provincial and territorial nominees and 1,343 live-in caregivers. Almost 33% (17,413) of the new permanent residents were family class immigrants, and 17% (9,101) were refugees and other protected persons.
Economic immigrants (principal applicants, spouses and dependants) accounted for 55% (122,744) of the year-end total for all landings, family class immigrants for 32% (70,707) and refugees and other protected persons for 12% (25,960).
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