the CanadaVisa Team - 21 October, 2011
Since 2006, Canada has accepted approximately 254,000 immigrants annual, but there are over one million people still waiting to be assessed. Kenney said in a recent statement that part of the problem facing Canadian immigration officials is that Canada has a good reputation as a land of opportunity, making Canada a popular destination for immigrants. Another problem is based on a system that the Liberal party had set up wherein an unlimited number of applications were accepted per year.
Rather than accept an unlimited number of applications, Kenney suggested that the backlog problem can be resolved by decreasing the number of applications accepted and increasing the number of applications that are approved each year.
“It will have to be a combination of both, because the volume (of applications) is so great,” the Minister told reporters. “Last year we received 38,000 applications for parents and grandparents. And this is at time when we’re trying to reduce the overall age of the population,” he said, hinting that the family category may see a decline in the number of applications accepted.
Under Canada’s Family Class Sponsorship Program, Canadian Permanent Residents living in Canada and citizens can sponsor members of their family for Canadian Permanent Residency. However, Canada is experiencing a large backlog of applications, specifically in the parental and grandparent sponsorship category.
Not everyone agrees with Kenney. NDP MP Don Davies said Kenney’s statement is contrary to his party’s behaviour. “Every single year since this government’s been in power, they have reduced the number of visas granted to parents, spouses, children and grandparents,” Davies said. “They always talk about Canada having the most generous immigration policy in the world per capita… It’s a fool’s game to compare Canada that way.”
Are you thinking of sponsoring a family member for Canadian Permanent Residency? Contact us to find out how Cohen Immigration Law can help with your sponsorship application.
