Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - November 2007
Ottawa revealed its annual Report to Parliament on Immigration. The report tabled each November, provides some insight into Canada’s immigration policies in the preceding year and it projects the numbers of admissions that can be expected in the current year along with anticipated program changes that can be expected in the upcoming year.
2006 Immigration Summary
In 2006, Citizenship and Immigration Canada admitted just over 251,000 permanent residents and more than 1.2 million temporary residents. Of the permanent residents admitted 55% were admitted in the economic class. This includes people admitted in the skilled worker, business, provincial nominee and caregiver classes. 28% were family members admitted as part of the family sponsorship program. 13% were protected refugees, and 4% were admitted based on humanitarian and compassionate considerations.
Of the 1.2 million temporary visas and permits granted in 2006, 112,658 were temporary work permits, 61,703 were study permits, 13,412 were temporary resident permits, and the other 987,378 were temporary visitor visas.
In 2006 259,802 permanent residents were granted Canadian citizenship after living in Canada for three years.
Immigration Plan for 2008
The immigration plan for 2008 outlines the numbers of people expected to be granted permanent and temporary residence in the upcoming year. The number of permanent resident visas granted will be between 240,000 and 265,000. The 2008 immigration plan aims to fill Canada’s labour market shortages while reserving a large number of visas for refugees and family members of immigrants already in the country.
139,000 to 154,000 new residents are expected to be admitted in the economic class in 2008. These numbers should accommodate growth in the Provincial Nominee Programs which helps fill labour market shortages on a provincial level.
A new addition for 2008 is the creation of the Canadian Experience Class of immigration. This program will let foreign workers and students with education and work experience in Canada apply for permanent citizenship from within the country.
Between 68,000 and 71,000 permanent resident visas will be allocated for admission of spouses, partners, dependants, parents and grandparents in 2008.
The plan also accommodates substantial numbers of admissions of refugees and protected persons. 26,000 to 31,800 permanent residents will be admitted in this category, with the possibility of an additional 8,000 permanent residents being admitted for humanitarian and compassionate reasons.
New Federal Provincial-Territorial Agreements
In 2007 federal-provincial agreements on cooperation on immigration were signed with Nova Scotia and Alberta. Both agreements removed the upper limit on the number of immigrants that can be nominated through the Provincial Nominee System, which should help fill the provinces’ demand for labour. Also, both agreements include statements of intent to develop annexes that will facilitate the entry of temporary foreign workers. An agreement which also removes the limit on Provincial Nominees was renewed with Newfoundland and Labrador in November 2006.
Also in November 2006, the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto signed a memorandum of understanding which aims to improves services to immigrants, such as training opportunities, education, and access to employment. This is the first time that a city has been formally represented in immigration policy discussions.
Source: Department of Citizenship & Immigration Canada
