MUMBAI: Canada’s immigration agency – Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) today posted on social media: “Did you know? Immigrants make up 33% of all business owners with employees in Canada. They create jobs in areas such as construction, professional services, health care and retail trade.”
According to the Canadian census (2021), there are 8.3 million immigrants in the country, roughly around 23% of its total population.On an allied note, nearly 2.9 million Indians are in Canada according to statistics reflected on the website of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
In the past few months, Canada has taken steps to reduce the intake of immigrants – be it a two-year intake cap for international students, or more recently the announcement that starting in fall, Canada will place limits on the number of temporary residents it will admit.
As regards the immigration levels for permanent residents, for the current year the target is 4.85 lakh and will be kept at 5 lakh for the next two years up to 2026.
In the past, there were no limits set for study permits or temporary worker permits – today according to many Indians based in Canada, a significant number of students are struggling to find jobs (they are currently permitted to work 20 hours a week, while class is in session); others post qualification are not able to find jobs which would sustain the rising costs of living in Canada. Many temporary residents may not get a shot at acquiring permanent residency. Yet, there are success stories as well. In short, it is a mixed bag, even though Canada is not shining as much as it once did for the Indian diaspora.
At the same time, the country recognizes that it needs immigrants to meet its economic needs. IRCC in its post states that: Immigrants help grow Canada’s future. According to Statistics Canada, immigrants are making an important contribution across every sector of Canada’s economy. As of May 2021, immigrants aged 25 to 54 represented:
According to the Canadian census (2021), there are 8.3 million immigrants in the country, roughly around 23% of its total population.On an allied note, nearly 2.9 million Indians are in Canada according to statistics reflected on the website of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
In the past few months, Canada has taken steps to reduce the intake of immigrants – be it a two-year intake cap for international students, or more recently the announcement that starting in fall, Canada will place limits on the number of temporary residents it will admit.
As regards the immigration levels for permanent residents, for the current year the target is 4.85 lakh and will be kept at 5 lakh for the next two years up to 2026.
In the past, there were no limits set for study permits or temporary worker permits – today according to many Indians based in Canada, a significant number of students are struggling to find jobs (they are currently permitted to work 20 hours a week, while class is in session); others post qualification are not able to find jobs which would sustain the rising costs of living in Canada. Many temporary residents may not get a shot at acquiring permanent residency. Yet, there are success stories as well. In short, it is a mixed bag, even though Canada is not shining as much as it once did for the Indian diaspora.
At the same time, the country recognizes that it needs immigrants to meet its economic needs. IRCC in its post states that: Immigrants help grow Canada’s future. According to Statistics Canada, immigrants are making an important contribution across every sector of Canada’s economy. As of May 2021, immigrants aged 25 to 54 represented:
- over 36% of people working in accommodation and food services;
- nearly 38% of those working in the transportation and warehousing sector;
- over 34% of those working in professional, scientific and technical services;
- over 20% of those working in construction
Meanwhile, Canadian Immigration Lawyers’ Association (CILA) has rolled out an exhaustive report recommending strategic reforms. Amendments have been suggested across various provisions of the Immigration Act.
CILA calls on the federal government to introduce a ‘Immigration Bill of Rights’ and completement this by creating an ombudsperson for IRCC and the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA).
“Introducing an Immigrant Bill of Rights and Ombudsperson is crucial to improving the newcomer experience” said Randy Hahn, VP of CILA. “Amid record-levels of applications, IRCC and CBSA need to emphasize a more human-centric approach to treat the Canadian citizens of tomorrow with the courtesy and respect they deserve,” he added.
