SUMMARY OF CANADA'S NEW IMMIGRATION PRIORITIES-2022

The new immigration mandate letter reveals priorities such as:

Application processing: PM calls on Imm.Min. to “Reduce application processing times and to address delays that have been impacted by COVID

Express Entry: Create more permanent residence pathways via Express Entry for international students and temporary foreign workers.

Family reunification: Introduce electronic applications for family reunification and implementing a program to provide temporary residence to spouses and children abroad while they await the processing of their permanent residence applications.

Create a new Municipal Nominee Program: The purpose of the MNP is to help promote a broader distribution of immigration across Canada. MNP is aimed towards small- and medium-sized communities.

Waiving Canadian citizenship application fees: Identified as a priority however, this was delayed by the pandemic.

Establish a Trusted Employer system: Imm.Min. is being asked to work with the Employment Minister to establish a Trusted Employer system for Canadian companies hiring temporary foreign workers. Also to improve the Global Talent Stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program by simplifying work permit renewals, upholding the two-week processing standard, and establishing an employer hotline.

Undocumented workers: Build on existing pilot programs to identify how to regularize status for undocumented workers in Canada.

Francophone immigration: Continue to work with Quebec to support French-language knowledge of immigrants in Quebec and also continue to promote the national Francophone immigration strategy.

Afghan refugees: Fulfill Canada’s goal to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees.