Citizenship and Immigration Canada Releases 2009 Levels

Citizenship and Immigration Canada announced today that the department intends to maintain current levels by seeking to admit between 240,000 and 265,000 new immigrants in the 2009 calendar year. Minister Kenney, appointed to the role only recently, noted that other nations such as the UK and Australia are discussing decreased their targeted levels, and that these figures represent some of the highest for Canada in the past 15 years.

The 2009 levels target up to 156,000 Canadian permanent residents in the economic categories and up to 71,000 in the family reunification categories. The humanitarian represents the remaining 37,400 candidates.

Nova Scotia Seeks to Attract Canadian Immigrants

While the vast majority of new Canadians take up residence in the country's major cities, the province of Nova Scotia is seeking to attract immigrants by promoting the benefits of a more rural life. Some of the benefits which are being touted include the more communal feel of smaller towns, the lack of big city traffic, and the ability to work closer to home. Better language integration is also identified with the more rural areas, given the increased likelihood of its use in the community on a daily basis.

As Canada's immigration department continues to supply funding for integration programs across the country, smaller communities like those in Nova Scotia are finding it easier to attract immigrants. These communities realize that the ability to supply employment to such new arrivals is critical, and they continue to work to develop programs to improve credential recognition and other programs to aid them.

Canada's Minister of Immigration Discusses Future

Newly appointed Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney, addressed the Canadian Club yesterday, discussing how his government foresees immigration contributing to the country's continued growth. He stated that the Conservative party remains dedicated to a dynamic immigration system and to ensuring the effective integration of new Canadians.

Mr. Kenney stated “Just as immigration has played a strong role in our past, it will continue to be important to our future. Canada is respected around the world for the way we’ve managed to bring in people from all over the globe. We have done this with a spirit of openness and tolerance, embracing diversity and becoming stronger for it.”

Mr. Kenney also discussed some of the recent efforts that the government has undertaken to aid new immigrants. These include the creation of the FCRO, the fast-tracking of Skilled Workers within Canada with the Canadian Experience Class, and the investment of CAD$1.4 billion over five years to aid the settlement of new Canadians across the country.

Canadian Citizenship Rules to Change

Citizenship and Immigration Canada has announced pending changes to the Citizenship Act, which are expected to be implemented by or before April 17 2009. The rules will reinstate citizenship for some who had previously lost it and grants citizenship to others for the first time.

This law will reinstate citizenship to the following persons who may have lost it due to the previous laws:

• Those who became citizens when Canada's citizenship act took effect on January 1, 1947, including those born in Canada prior to 1947; war brides;and other British subjects who had lived in Canada for at least five years before 1947 and who then lost citizenship;
• Thoise who were born in Canada or who became Canadian citizens on or after January 1, 1947, and who then lost their citizenship; and
  
• Those who were born outside Canada, on or after January 1, 1947, in the first generation born abroad, to a parent who was a Canadian citizen at the time of the birth.

Persons who didn't apply for citizenship and who were born outside Canada on or after January 1, 1947, in the first generation born abroad to a parent who was a Canadian citizen at the time of the birth may also become eligible to obtain Canadian citizenship under these new rules. Also, persons adopted by Canadians on or after January 1 1947 will be eligible to become citizens without having to apply for permanent resident status initially.

Canadian Immigration Department Seeks Credential Recognition

Through its funding of various resources, Citizenship and Immigration Canada is seeking to ease the transition of new immigrants by facilitating the recognition of foreign credentials. One such initiative is the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO) which operates within Canada and abroad with the goal of assisting new Canadians and those who are pursuing permanent resident status in Canada.

The FCRO was initially established to conduct efforts to improve foreign credential recognition processes within Canada. This has included efforts to increase the availability of information for Canadians and employers, the identification of programs and services, and creating competency assessments to facilitate entry to practice. The organization has also begun undertaking efforts to make information available to prospective immigrants abroad. To date, locations have been established overseas in India, China, and the Philippines. In 2009, it is expected that a new location will be opened.

Overseas offices conduct sessions in which those selected under the Skilled Worker program are able to attend and learn about local labour market requirements. To date, over 2000 such candidates have been helped, and thousands more are registered for attendance of future sessions.