Canada reveals its new immigration policy priorities
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed the Canadian government's new immigration priorities on his official website on December 16, 2021.
Trudeau's Liberal Party of Canada was re-elected to its third consecutive mandate in September. Following the election, Trudeau unveiled a new cabinet including the new immigration minister Sean Fraser.
The unveiling of new ministerial mandate letters in December highlights what Trudeau wants Fraser and his other ministers to focus on while the Liberals remain in power.
Given that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) plays the lead role in Canada's immigration system, Fraser's mandate letter will shape federal and provincial immigration policies moving forward.
The priorities include:
- Trudeau calls on Fraser to "Reduce application processing times, including to address delays that have been impacted by COVID-19.”
- Improve the family reunification process by introducing more electronic applications and introducing a program so that the spouses and children of sponsors can obtain temporary residence in Canada while they wait for their permanent residence applications to be processed.
- Ensure that immigration helps to support small- and medium-sized communities across Canada including by creating a new Municipal Nominee Program.
- Create a Trusted Employer System so that Canadian companies can hire temporary foreign workers more quickly. Fraser is also being asked to improve the Global Talent Stream.
- Identify how Canada can regularize status for more undocumented workers.
- Continue to work with Quebec on helping immigrants build their French-language knowledge and also continue to promote Francophone immigration across Canada.
- Achieve Canada's goal of resettling 40,000 Afghan refugees.
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