Immigration Backlogs Will Ease

When major changes were made to the Immigration Act three years ago, a backlog formed of sponsored applications for parents and grandparents. In April, the Government of Canada announced steps to speed up processing times and help reunite families faster. New initiatives for internationally-trained professionals and foreign students were also announced.

Sponsoring Parents and Grandparents

Canada’s Liberal government announced new funding to speed up the processing of sponsored applications for parents and grandparents of landed immigrants and new Canadian citizens. With successful passage of the 2005 budget, $72 million will be invested to speed up the processing of applications and reduce the backlog, in order to triple the number of parents and grandparents admitted to the country this year and next. This will allow us to come closer to reaching previously-set, but unmet, immigration targets.

In addition, Citizenship and Immigration Canada will be more flexible in issuing multiple-entry visitor visas to parents and grandparents, allowing them to visit their families in Canada while their sponsorship applications are in process.

Spouses Can Apply In Canada

The Liberal government also announced that spouses living in Canada applying for Canadian residence will no longer need to leave the country while their applications are processed.

Processing time for applications will vary, and applications submitted from outside Canada will likely be processed more quickly, but the new guidelines offer a degree of choice that was previously unavailable.

Help for Internationally-Trained Workers

The Liberal government has introduced a series of initiatives designed to help immigrants and internationally-trained Canadians integrate into the work force. The Internationally-Trained Workers Initiative is an investment of $263 million in new services for the smooth and speedy integration of internationally trained professionals into the places where there talents are needed, including:

Foreign Students Can Work Here

In addition, the Liberal government is working to make Canada a destination for international students. Starting this year, international students at post-secondary institutions will be able to work off-campus while completing their studies. This will allow foreign students the opportunity to experience the Canadian labour market and gain a wider understanding of Canadian society.

In addition, foreign students will be allowed to work for two years, rather than one year, after their graduation. This will only apply outside Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver to help spread the benefits of immigration to more of Canada’s regions.