Spousal sponsorships experienced a decrease in August after maintaining consistency for two months

Canada’s spousal sponsorship program saw a 22.7% drop in monthly arrivals in August after steady numbers in June and July. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the number of arrivals dipped from 6,230 to 4,815. Despite this, by August’s end, 54,835 new permanent residents had arrived through the program, a 19.3% increase from the first eight months of 2022. If current trends persist, Canada could welcome 82,252 new permanent residents through spousal sponsorships this year, nearly meeting Ottawa’s target of 84,000. Ontario reported the highest number of arrivals, with 28,810 spouses settling there in the first eight months.