The Canadian government announced on Monday that it has set a target to bring in 13.29 lakh immigrants in the next three years.

The country aims to add 4,31,645 permanent residents in 2022, 4,47,055 in 2023 and 4,51,000 in 2024. The targets for 2022 and 2023 have been increased from the earlier figures of 4,11,000 and 4,21,000, according to Bloomberg.

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said that the government is focused on economic recovery and that immigration was the key to achieving it, Bloomberg reported. “Immigration has helped shape Canada into the country it is today,” he remarked.

The immigration plan is aimed at attracting skilled workers to help address labour shortages, as well as reuniting families and bringing in refugees from vulnerable population, Fraser said, according to CIC News. “Our focus remains on supporting our economic resurgence through increased retention of newcomers in regions with real economic, labour and demographic challenges,” he added.

Out of the total permanent residents in the next three years, 7,62,600 are expected to be economic immigrants, while 3,27,500 are slated to be from the “family” category. Similarly, Canada aims to bring in 2,13,100 people from the “refugees and protected persons” category and 26,500 people from the “humanitarian and other” category.

Last year, Canada met its target of granting permanent residency to 4,01,000 persons, according to Reuters. In 2020, the number of new permanent residents had fallen by 45% to 1,85,000 amid the closure of borders due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Canada depends on immigration to increase its labour force and drive its economy.