Weekly Immigration Update: Canada May Fast Track Immigration Applications from People in Earthquake Zones

More in Immigration News This Week:

  • Pathways to Permanent Residence: Canada Reducing Work Requirements for Caregivers
  • Government Announces Softened Approach to Temporary Visas Under Trudeau
  • Express Entry: Bus and Truck Drivers Now Eligible for Immigration to Canada
  • Canada Adds 150,000 Jobs: PM Trudeau Opens Doors for New Immigrants

Canada May Fast Track Immigration Applications from People in Earthquake Zones

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said this week that Canada may expedite applications from persons in Turkey and Syria affected by earthquakes.

Last Monday, 06 February, two huge earthquakes shook southwestern Turkey and northern Syria, demolishing thousands of structures.

The verified death toll continues to rise, with over 40,000 lives lost between Turkey and Syria.

Fraser stated that his department is attempting to analyze the impact on existing permanent residence applicants in Canada's immigration system in order to determine how to assist them. Canada dispatched a disaster assessment team to the region on Wednesday to investigate whether more Canadian help is required.

Based on prior examples of similar deployments, Canada's decision on whether to send a Disaster Assistance Response Team might take a few more days.

Pathways to Permanent Residence: Canada Reducing Work Requirements for Caregivers

Canada has announced plans to reduce the work experience requirements for caregivers and provide pathways to permanent residence. This new policy, which was announced in February 2023, is a significant step forward in providing more rights and opportunities to those working in the caregiving industry.

Under the new policy, the work experience required for a caregiver to qualify for permanent residence has been reduced from 24 months to 12 months, with some spaces reserved for caregivers with previous work permits.

Caregivers and their families will benefit from a speedier road to permanent residency and successful settlement in Canada as a consequence. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) plans to improve processing and applications by decreasing the amount of work experience necessary in Canada.

This modification is estimated to benefit around 90% of applications presently in processing, which will assist both new carers and those who have been providing care in Canada for some time.

According to The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, “Caregivers are an important option for families in Canada and have played an instrumental role in the lives of many growing children, aging parents, and those who need additional specialized care. By reducing the work experience required in Canada to one year, more caregivers and their families will become eligible to transition to permanent residence sooner, meaning that they can settle down and start the next chapter of their lives here in Canada.”

Government Announces Softened Approach to Temporary Visas Under Trudeau

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he wants Canada's immigration system to relax its stance on visa processing and place less emphasis on the risk of travellers overstaying their short-term permits.

Trudeau stated that the federal immigration system is being tested by Canada's need to address labour deficits and other global crises that are forcing individuals to escape their homes.

Trudeau also stated that Ottawa must do a better job of assisting immigrants to prosper. Otherwise, he believes, Canadians' positive attitudes toward immigration may cool.

“An anti-immigration party would have a hard time succeeding in Canada, because so many Canadians understand how important that is,” Trudeau said. “We need to protect the fact that Canadians are pro-immigration.”

Express Entry: Bus and Truck Drivers Now Eligible for Immigration to Canada

Express Entry is now available to bus and truck drivers. This action is part of Canada's effort to alleviate driver shortages in the busing and trucking businesses across the country.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will transition from its National Occupation Classification (NOC) 2016 system to an improved NOC 2021 version on November 16, 2022.

As part of the NOC 2021 transition, IRCC approved 16 additional occupations eligible for Express Entry. Among those added are transport truck drivers and bus drivers, two industries facing substantial labour shortages across Canada.

To address the aforementioned labour shortages, IRCC has added transport truck drivers and bus drivers to the list of jobs eligible for Express Entry immigration to Canada.

The Government of Canada remains optimistic that this expansion of Express Entry eligibility, along with other changes to Express Entry such as targeted draws, will encourage more foreign nationals, particularly skilled workers best suited to fill the country's most pressing labour gaps to come to Canada in the future.

Canada Adds 150,000 Jobs: PM Trudeau Opens Doors for New Immigrants

Canada recently added 150,000 new jobs and widened its gates for new immigrants. The move is part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's economic and social policies that prioritize economic recovery and integration of immigrants. The new jobs are spread across all regions of the country, in various sectors such as IT, healthcare, and education. These jobs offer wages and benefits equivalent to or better than the industry standards. This move will give a boost to the Canadian economy and help new immigrants settle in the country faster.

Canadian employment increased significantly quicker than predicted, prompting concerns about whether the Bank of Canada has reached the end of its rate-hiking cycle.

Because of immigration, Canada is seeing significant population expansion, and survey data reveal that non-permanent residents — including students and temporary employees — are experiencing outsized job increases. The labor force participation rate rose 0.3 percentage point to 65.7%, as the work force expanded by 153,000 people, or 0.7%.

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