In their second week of campaigning for next month’s federal election, the party leaders have been sharing their platforms for Canadian immigration. Stephane Dion, leader of the Liberal party, recently announced that, if elected, the Liberal party would allocate $800 million to modernize and streamline the Canadian immigration system.

The Liberals would repeal recent changes to the Immigration Act made by the Conservatives, which give sweeping powers to the Minister of Immigration to decide which applications are considered and which are not.

In order to deal with the current backlog, Dion intends to spend $400 million to improve and streamline the procedures for immigration applicants.

He would also allocate $200 million to a new initiative to help immigrants succeed in the workforce, called “Bridge to Work”. This program would help them with foreign credential recognition, training and accreditation, and would provide access to internships, mentorships, and work placement opportunities. Another $200 million would be invested in a language training program called “New Beginnings Canada”.

The Liberals also have plans to improve the process of issuing temporary visas. The “Welcome Canada Pass”, a five-year multiple entry visitor’s visa, would be created for individuals sponsored by Canadian citizens and Permanent residents. The “Canada Express Pass”, would be created for frequent business visitors, to promote trade and commerce. These visa passes would make it much easier for family members to come visit and for foreign companies to do business with Canada.