CANADA PR & Current Scenario!
"Immigration is not just good for our economy, it’s essential. We can’t get by without it." Immigration Minister Sean Fraser told reporters at a recent news conference.
The growth in the Canadian population has been significant. It grew by almost 0.7%, or 285,000, between July and September 2022, the most since 1949, and over 700,000 new residents over the past year. All this has been a part of the planned move.?
To put it in perspective, through immigration year after year, Canada adds a population as big as that of a major city. The vast majority of people are dispersed, especially in urban areas, but also more and more in suburbs and remote communities. They are here to work, learn, and settle permanently for a better future.
According to policymakers, increased immigration is important for supporting Canada's economic expansion, and labor shortages and also is a solution to the country's ageing population. As per the recent census, close to two-thirds of recent immigrants are of core working age, and it also highlights the fact that almost one-quarter (23%) of the people living in this country were not born in Canada. If these trends continue, based on Statistics Canada's recent population projections, immigrants could represent 34.0% (up from 29.1%) of the population of Canada by 2041. India alone accounts for one of every five (18.6%) recent immigrants, thus becoming the leading country of birth for recent immigrants to Canada.
With 405,000 permanent residents in the last year, the federal government is eyeing 500,000 in 2025. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg: At the last count, there were 1.4 million residents with temporary work or study permits.
And until recently, A ‘GLITCH’ has been reported and IRCC’s application system had become a "TOTAL MESS".
As of October 31st, 2022, the federal immigration service, IRCC, had around 2.2 million applications to process. A little over 1.2 million of these were backlogged, which means they had been in the system longer than the acceptable processing time. A significant increase from before the COVID-19 epidemic, when things were normal.
The federal government sought a comeback after failing to meet immigration goals in 2020 because of pandemic difficulties. It invited thousands of aspirants, already residing in Canada, to apply for permanent residency through several draws. This abnormal increase in applications added to the difficulties of the system, which was already struggling to process files efficiently during COVID-19. As a result, many good-quality aspirants/applicants in the pool got stuck and were left waiting for years for the invitation from the federal government.
Because of the backlog, the delays, and the lack of transparency, many applicants whose work permits are nearing expiration are left in the dark, putting their future plans in jeopardy. These applicants, which consist of good-quality talents, would normally be approved under Canada's Express Entry points-based system, but now they are trapped in a federal mess and left behind. With this, IRCC and its system are taking a beating, with people losing faith in the system and its capabilities. The systems could have been more smooth, more considerate, and more empathetic towards the kind of transition that people expect.
In spite of the chaos and the federal mess, Canada is on track to welcome 431,000 permanent residents this year. Earlier this year, it introduced changes in the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program, including various policy changes like the expansion of the TFW program and allowing foreign postsecondary students to work longer hours. To accommodate the incoming wave, Canada is also undergoing a complicated adjustment.
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Also, colleges and universities are increasing the intake of international students. And these international students work part-time to add points to their applications in the Express Entry pool. From the 2015 level, there is an increase of around 85%, or approximately 1.4 million people, who had temporary work or study permits at the end of 2021.
Almost every Canadian province is giving a warm welcome with open arms to newcomers. According to the recent census, many immigrants are relocating to Atlantic Canada thus supporting the local economy. Several immigration programs and investments were also designed to help balance the geographical distribution of recent immigrants across the country and encourage settlement in both small and large metropolitan areas.
Immigrants in Quebec make up 15 per cent of the province’s population, and this lower number is owing to Quebec's resistance to immigrants, as preserving the language and its culture matters more for many than growth and renewal. The figure for Ontario is 30 per cent; for British Columbia, 29 per cent; and for Alberta, 23 per cent.?
This semi-closed-door approach of Quebec will have its own repercussions for it. Immigration can’t reverse the effects of an ageing society, but it can help smooth the transition, providing workers to fill gaps in the labor market and to pay taxes that sustain social services.
All things considered, immigration in Canada will continue to grow and play a very important role in its economic, social, and overall development. With the overhaul of the NOC-based Express Entry system, the federal government, its public decision-makers, employers, and providers of health care, education, justice, and other services will be in a better position to meet the needs of the country and its immigrants.
The key is to have an understanding of the requirements and process before applying for the Canadian Permanent Residency Visa. Post-application patience will be the mantra.
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