With the New Year around the corner, I’m wishing you a healthy, stable 2022! Have you thought of a wish or a new year’s resolution yet? Canada’s Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship has built their own “wish list” of improvements to immigration processes that you may be interested in.
Canada has crossed one of the major things off their 2021 bucket list: on December 23, IRCC confirmed that it reached its target and welcomed over 401,000 immigrants in 2021. This has become the new record number of newcomers accepted in a single year in Canadian history!
What is Canada up to in 2022? Here are a few plans that the Canadian government has shared regarding immigration on December 16:
- IRCC aims to reduce processing times for applications.
- Attention International Students and Temporary Foreign Workers: Canada plans to expand pathways to immigrate through Express Entry and other programs.
- Those of you planning to sponsor your spouse or child, this might be of interest for you: IRCC aims to introduce electronic application process for family reunification and reduce application processing times.
- While your spouse or children are waiting for the decision, they may be allowed to join you in Canada as a temporary resident.
- Got your PR? IRCC aims to waive citizenship fees.
- Interested in working in Canada? The government plans to create a system to assist Canadian employers with hiring foreign workers, simplify the process of work permit renewals, reduce processing times and streamline foreign credential recognition
- Those in Canada who are undocumented, may have a chance to obtain a status.
- Not enough points to immigrate via Express Entry? Watch out for the provincial immigration programs! In order to support small and mid-size Canadian communities, IRCC plans to expand Rural and Northern Immigration pilot, introduce the Municipal Nominee Program and make the Atlantic Pilot a permanent program.
It looks like the government’s plan to accept over a million immigrants in 2021-23 is still in force, so many of you will have a chance to make Canada your permanent home. For the full text of the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship mandate letter, see here. Feel free to reach out to me at bulantseva.immigration@gmail.com if you have any questions, or need assistance with the immigration process.