Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released his new mandate letters to his cabinet. These mandate letters outline the priorities that the Federal Government will undertake during their term. Each cabinet minister and their respective department will focus its priorities based on the mandate letter. The mandate letter is crucial as it guides the immigration department, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) headed by the new Minister of Immigration, Hon, Sean Fraser implement its policies.
The mandate letter will impact both the federal and provincial immigration programs.
Quote from the mandate letter below:
As Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, you will prioritize ongoing work to strengthen Canada’s immigration and refugee system, including bringing in more newcomers to all regions of Canada who will support Canada’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. You will also act with urgency to provide resettlement opportunities for people under threat, including Afghan citizens and human rights defenders. As well, you will continue to strengthen family reunification and reduce application processing times, especially those impacted by COVID-19.
To realize these objectives, I ask that you achieve results for Canadians by delivering the following commitments.
- Continue to bring newcomers to Canada to drive economic growth and recovery, as set out in the 2021-2023 Immigration Levels Plan.
- Expand the new immigration stream for human rights defenders and work with civil society groups to provide resettlement opportunities for people under threat.
- With the support of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, continue to facilitate the safe passage and resettlement of vulnerable people from Afghanistan, with an emphasis on individuals who supported Canada and our allies over the past two decades, women, LGBTQ2 people, human rights defenders, journalists and members of religious and ethnic minorities and increase the number of eligible refugees from 20,000 to at least 40,000.
- Reduce application processing times, including to address delays that have been impacted by COVID-19.
- Work to strengthen family reunification by introducing electronic applications for family reunification and implementing a program to issue temporary resident status to spouses and children abroad while they wait for the processing of their permanent residency application.
- Make the citizenship application process free for permanent residents who have fulfilled the requirements needed to obtain it.
- With the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, establish a Trusted Employer system for Canadian companies hiring temporary foreign workers and, as part of improving the Global Talent Stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, simplify permit renewals, uphold the two-week processing time and establish an employer hotline. Continue to work with provinces, territories and regulatory bodies to improve foreign credential recognition.
- Build on existing pilot programs to further explore ways of regularizing status for undocumented workers who are contributing to Canadian communities.
- Continue working with Quebec to support the French-language knowledge of immigrants in Quebec, respecting provincial jurisdiction and complementing existing measures, and continue to implement an ambitious national strategy to support Francophone immigration across the country.
- Lead the Government’s work on irregular migration, including continued work with the United States to modernize the Safe Third Country Agreement.
- Expand pathways to Permanent Residence for international students and temporary foreign workers through the Express Entry system. With respect to pathways for agricultural temporary foreign workers, you will be supported in this work by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
- Building on the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot, work with employers and communities across Canada to welcome 2,000 skilled refugees to fill labour shortages in high-demand sectors such as health care.
- Ensure that immigration better supports small- and medium-size communities that require additional immigrants to enhance their economic growth and social vibrancy. This will include expanding the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, moving forward on the Municipal Nominee Program and making the successful Atlantic Immigration Pilot a permanent program.
Despite our struggles with the pandemic like border closures, domestic lockdowns, backlogs in the processing of immigration applications and more, Minister Sean Fraser announced that IRCC has met its target of accepting 401,000 new permanent residents to Canada. According to IRCC, it surpassed the previous record from 1913, this is the most newcomers in a year in Canadian history.
Over the past 200 years, immigrants helped to build and defend Canada’s way of life. Immigration accounts for almost 100% of Canada’s labour force growth. Roughly 75% of Canada’s population growth comes from immigration, mostly in the economic category. Canada needs immigration to drive our country’s economy, enrich our society and support our aging population.
As per IRCC’s three- year immigration plan, Canada plans to accept 411,000 permanent residents in 2022.
If you have questions regarding the above article, you may contact Marjorie at [email protected]
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
A word of caution: You should not act or rely on the information provided in this column. It is not a legal advice. To ensure your interests are protected, retain, or formally seek advice from a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) in good standing of ICCRC. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of RCIC’s.
