Canadian Immigration News

Michael Chong is a child of immigrant parents who migrated to Canada from Hong Kong and the Netherlands, respectively. He has expressed pride in his Chinese origins and harbors an active interest in Canada's immigration policy. Chong has asserted his willingness to bring the voices of Chinese Canadian immigrants to the parliament floor. He was elected Member of Parliament in 2004 and has been actively involved in the Conservative Party for over 10 years.

In an effort to encourage Canadian permanent residents to become fully engaged Canadian citizens, Canada’s most recent former Governor-General has founded The Institute for Canadian Citizenship. The Right-Honourable Adrienne Clarkson will serve as co-chair of the new non-profit organization with her husband, philosopher John Ralston Saul.

Ontario has officially launched its new immigration website:Ontarioimmigration.ca . The online resource appeals to immigrants who choose to make the Province their new home in Canada.

Four years ago, Statistics Canada launched a new program tracking the successes, challenges and attitudes of new immigrants to Canada over a number of years. The first crop of results are in, and recent immigrants are giving the thumbs-up to their newly adopted nation.

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration was recently in Winnipeg to help launch a five-year "Strategic Plan" to Foster Immigration to Francophone Minority Communities. This plan aims to increase immigration of French-speaking people to Francophone communities.

In an effort to shed light on the important contributions made across Canada by immigrants, an innovative program is bringing their stories throughout the country. The Passages to Canada program brings first hand accounts of immigrant experiences and contributions to Canadian society to a variety of different audiences.

On February 18, 2005 the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration announced that spouses and common-law partners in a genuine relationship with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, regardless of immigration status, are able to apply for permanent residence status while remaining in Canada.

Days before leaving the post of Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to become Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, the Honourable Monte Solberg sent a letter to Members of Parliament (MP) reminding them that some Canadians' citizenships may lapse if they do not re-apply prior to their 28th birthday.

The Community Immigration Retention in Rural Ontario (CIRRO) pilot project was recently launched by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs to create a list of best practices for small communities welcoming immigrants.

In a report released on labour shortages faced by small and medium sized firms across Canada, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) called for changes to the immigration system to better meet their needs.