Page 14 - BEST MAGAZINE Winter 2019-2020

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ECONOMY AND FINANCE
ECONOMÍA Y FINANZAS
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES FUTURE DIRECTION OF CANADIAN IMMIGRATION POLICY
On December 13, 2019, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau published his Mandate Letter to Canada’s new Minister of Immigration, Refugees
and Citizenship, Marco Mendicino. The letter is consistent with the mandate that was handed down by the Primer Minister back in 2015, when the Liberal government took office, as well as with the Liberal platform put forth during the election campaign.
The Minister’s mandate focuses on the effective implementation of Canada’s increased annual Immigration targets for 2020-2022, attracting more than 1 million new permanent residents over that period. As expressed by the Primer Minister “this continues our modest and
responsible increases to immigration, with a focus on welcoming highly skilled people who can help build a stronger Canada”.
The Mandate Letter also asks that the Minister of Immigration work with provincial and territorial government to ensure a renewed focus on the delivery of high-quality settlement services to new immigrants, in order to ensure their successful integration to Canada.
Efforts to reduce processing times and enhance the efficiency of the immigration and asylum systems are also amongst the requests made by Prime Minister Trudeau, as well as putting forth a plan to eliminate citizenship application fees.
New interesting initiatives include a dedicated refugee stream to provide protection to human rights advocates, journalists and humanitarian workers at risk, with a yearly target of as many as 250 people. Prime Minister Trudeau also requested that the Minister of Immigration implement pilot programs that encourage more newcomers to settle in rural Canada, including the introduction of a Municipal Nominee Program that will allow local communities, chambers of commerce and local labour councils to directly sponsor permanent immigrants.
The Mandate Letter also mentions the full implementation of the new professional governing body for immigration and citizenship
consultants under the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act, as well as legislative changes to the Canadian Oath of Citizenship to reflect the Calls to Action of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
We look forward to the implementation of these initiatives and the continued expansion of Canada’s immigration programs in order to lessen the burden caused to the economy by an aging population.
Andrew Carvajal is a Toronto lawyer and partner at Desloges Law Group, where he is the Head of the Economic Immigration Group.
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THE BEST MAGAZINE WINTER 2019-2020
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