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23-Apr-2020

CANADA STILL WELCOMES IMMIGRANTS INSPITE OF COVID-19

The coronavirus has caused onto the global economy the disorder, regardless Canada still recognizes that immigration play an important role and supports the labour market and the country’s economic growth.

Though Canada has also passed temporary restrictions on foreign travel as part of its efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus, applications for permanent residence are still being accepted and have been approved by the government. The Express Entry is still holding immigration draws to invite more applicant to submit permanent residence applications.

Canada remains open to immigration plan despite  COVID-19. Canada is also fighting COVID-19 and has passed emergency actions, including travel restrictions on some foreign nationals around the world.

However, it remains committed to accepting immigrants, temporary foreign workers, and international students as much as possible. It has not suspended immigration, but rather, continues to invite foreign nationals to submit their applications to come to Canada.

Knowing that foreign nationals may have trouble obtaining all necessary documentation at this time due to coronavirus-related pauses, Canada has stated it will not reject any application that is incomplete because of such interruptions.

In addition, Canada continues to hold federal and provincial immigration draws to invite new individuals to apply for permanent resident status. 

Since the travel limitations were first declared by Canada on 16th March 2020 the following immigration draws have taken place as follows:

• British Columbia held three Provincial Nomination Program draws on 6th, 7th April 2020 & 30th March 2020
• Saskatchewan hosted a Provincial Nomination Program draw on 26th March 2020
• Manitoba also had a draw under its Provincial Nomination Program  on 26th March 2020
• An Express Entry draw took place on 23rd March 2020
• Alberta had a Provincial Nomination Program draw on 18th March 2020
• Canada also had an Express Entry draw on 18th March 2020

Immigration applications are managed through Express Entry for Canada  immigration applications made by skilled workers. Under its 2020-2022 Immigration Levels Plan, Canada is looking to welcome new immigrants the following numbers for the coming year

• About 341,000 immigrants in 2020,
• About 351,000 in 2021, and
• About 361,000 in 2022.

US President Trump signed an EXECUTIVE ORDER on Wednesday that takes effect at 11:59 PM EST on Thursday, 23rd April 2020.  The Executive Order will suspend the processing of permanent resident applications made by those outside of the United States FOR 60 DAYS. It contains some exemptions; for instance, the ban will not apply to health care professionals or researchers seeking to enter the U.S. as immigrants to help combat COVID-19.

Canada will not be approving any similar immigration suspension, according to a Radio-Canada report.

Cristobal Ramón, a senior policy analyst with the Two-party Policy Centre in the U.S., calls the move “purely political” given that the U.S. was already processing fewer immigration applications as a result of COVID-19.

 

CANADA’S FIRM COMMITMENT TO IMMIGRATION DURING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

• Regardless of the special immigration and travel measures, Canada has also applied in response to COVID-19, the country continues to prove its commitment to the 2020-2022 Immigration Levels Plan that it announced in March 2020.
• Canada is still permitting exempt immigrants, international students, and temporary foreign workers to enter the country. It has also announced more lenient measures to help accommodate immigration applicants who are not able to submit their complete documentation to the federal government because of coronavirus-related disruptions.
• Possibly the biggest indication of Canada’s resounding commitment to welcoming immigrants, even despite the coronavirus pandemic, is that both the federal government and provinces continue to hold immigration draws to invite successful candidates to apply for Canadian permanent residence:

 

FOUR EXPLANATIONS WHY CANADA WON’T STOP IMMIGRATION

Despite the extraordinary times we live in, there are four major reasons why Canada WILL NOT HALT immigration:

• HISTORY: Canada’s history of obliging new immigrant from around the world lasts to guide its efforts to accommodate new families so they can endure to support Canada’s economic and social effervescence. Canada is a country that was built by immigrants and its Native peoples.
• GEOGRAPHY: Canada’s geography is favourable when it comes to immigration since it can exercise strong control over who can enter the country of Canada. As stated above, this allows Canada to have high levels of community support for immigration and last to welcome high levels of immigration.
• POLICY: Shareholders across Canada identify immigration is critical to sustaining its high living standards. Canada has an elderly population and low birth rate, which is constraining its economic growth and creating fiscal pressures. As a result, immigrants are mainly welcomed under the economic class to stimulate Canada’s economy and support its fiscal standing. Shareholders work together to enact various policies to sustenance the welcoming of immigrants and the incorporation of newcomers into Canadian society.
• POLITICS: Immigrants account for over 20 per cent of Canada’s population and many citizens are second, third, and fourth-generation Canadians. Assumed that immigrants mostly reside in Canada’s largest cities, Canadian political parties usually need to appeal to immigrants in order to win power.

 

CANADA’S PER CAPITA IMMIGRATION  PLAN INTAKE THREE-WAY THAT OF U.S.A

• Canada greeting three times as many immigrants on a per capita basis than the U.S.
• Canada has a population of about 38 million and is now welcoming around 340,000 immigrants per year (0.9% of its population).
• The U.S. has a population of some 330 million and welcomes around 1.1 million immigrants per year (0.3% of its population).
• Nearly 60 per cent of Canada’s immigrants arrive under the economic class, followed by 26 per cent under the family class, and 14 per cent as refugees.
• The U.S. admits about 10 per cent of its immigrants under the economic class, 70 per cent under the family class, and 20 per cent as refugees.

CANADIAN PROVINCES HAVE ADDITIONAL IMMIGRATION POWERS THAN U.S. STATES

• Immigration is a matter of shared federal-provincial jurisdiction under Canada’s constitution. This allows the provinces and territories to accomplish their own immigration programs so they can welcome newcomers that meet their economic requirements.
• Just like Canada, the U.S., is a federation, and while U.S. states have strong powers under the country’s constitution, they do not have the authority to welcome immigrants.
• This distinction is important because whereas in Canada, the federal government cannot restrict immigration without facing pressure from the provinces and territories, the U.S. federal government has full authority over the country’s immigration scheme and does not need to respond to the desire of certain states to welcome more immigrants to address labour shortages.

CANADA TO U.S. GOVERNMENT HOLDUP

• Another main difference between Canada and the U.S. when it comes to immigration is their political systems. Canada has a legislative system of government, which means that a federal political party that wins a majority or a strong minority has significant control over the country’s policies. This enables Canada to enact new immigration policies and plans fairly easily.
• On the other hand, the U.S. has a presidential system, whereby power is shared equally between the president, congress, and senate. This has resulted in political gridlock in many policy areas, including in immigration, since the three branches of government need to reach consensus on major issues before passing new policies and plans.
• Both the Democrats and Republicans have long agreed that U.S. immigration reform is necessary, but remain unable to agree on the nature of the reform.

CANADA HAS ADDITIONAL CONTROL OVER ITS BOUNDARIES

• Perhaps the major difference between the two countries is their aptitude to manage irregular migration.
• Agreed that control over who enters one’s country is critical to maintaining public support for immigration, Canada tends to have higher levels of public sustenance for newcomers than the U.S.
• Past to coronavirus, Canada had seen higher levels of irregular migration than in recent history, with thousands of asylum-seekers crossing the Canada-U.S. border.
• Though, Canada’s sanctuary figures pale in comparison to the U.S., which has long had high levels of irregular migrants crossing into the country from its southern border in pursuit of refuge and economic opportunity.
• The outcome, whereas immigration debates in the U.S. are dominated by discussions on national security, Canadian immigration debates tend to centre around how to enhance the economic benefits of immigration.

Bilimoria & Associate is specialised in Immigration visas to Canada with 24 years of experience and will be able to guide applicants on various visa types based on the eligibility.

Bilimoria & Associate liaisons with Member of Law Society of Upper Canada and Canadian Bar Association (Immigration section) (CPTLS). We can assist you with preparing a successful visa application to Canada.

Applicants can forward their resume to assess their eligibility under Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program and Canadian Experience Class or Provincial Nominee Program and be successful in obtaining a family Immigration visa.

You can write to us to assess your eligibility at:  neville@bilimoriaassociate.com  (or) contact us +91 44 28227222 / 28239229 /  28227127  /  43508191 between Monday – Saturday - 10.30 am to 5.30 pm (Lunch break: 1.30 pm - 2.30 pm) to guide you and assist you in your visa application to Canada.

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