Canadian Immigration Minister Revealed New Developments In Immigration Policy

Canadian immigration is beginning a new chapter this year. After COVID-19 adversely affected immigration in 2020, Canada is now firm on welcoming more immigrants to support the economy in the post-pandemic period. The government has reiterated time and again that immigrants will play a crucial role in the economic recovery of the country.

Marco Mendicino, the Canadian Immigration Minister, recently made an appearance of the television show, The Agenda and talked about the current state of immigration in the country.  The federal government is working to deal with the ongoing effects of the pandemic on the immigration. 

What we learned from the interview

According to Mendicino, the government is considering the idea of making the immigration process completely virtual even after the pandemic. They are also planning to introduce a new pilot program that will allow eligible permanent residents to apply for Canadian citizenship online. Mendicino remarked that Canada is currently the only country that is hosting virtual citizenship ceremonies. 

After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada made a conscious choice of continuing to welcome immigrants. The new Immigration Levels Plan 2021-2023 states that the country should aim to welcome more than 400,000 immigrants in the upcoming years. While this is essential for Canadian prosperity, the border restrictions could make the process tougher than usual.

Mendicino opined that IRCC’s innovative tactics could be the key to success. Canada is also taking this time to cater to international students and temporary foreign workers who are already in Canada. 

Canada’s plan to introduce a Municipal Nominee Program according to the December 2019 mandate is also going well. Mendicino is confident that the program will help more newcomers to settle down in the smaller cities willingly.