IRCC seeking input on new immigration strategy
With almost 1 out of 4 people in Canada having had the experience of being a landed immigrant or Permanent Resident of Canada, the largest proportion since Confederation in 1867, immigration is more important than ever.
Now, in Canada, there are only 3 working-aged people for each senior. This is a massive drop compared to fifty years ago when the ratio was approximately 7 to 1. With 2 out of 3 immigrants being of working age, Canada’s economy depends on new Canadians.
Projections show that immigration will soon represent 100% of the growth of our labour force.
Because of this reality, IRCC has recently announced that they are starting a new immigration strategy called “An Immigration System for Canada’s Future“. This new initiative will seek public input to shape a “shared vision for Canada’s future”. Let’s explore further what that means.
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What will this immigration strategy do?
IRCC is seeking input from stakeholders to shape the future of immigration policies and programs in Canada. At its core, this immigration strategy is looking for engagement with the community to guide these systems-level decisions. The immigration strategy started this February and will continue through April 2023.
There are multiple different forums that people can participate in. Firstly, dialogues will be held with the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Sean Fraser. Minister Fraser has begun these meetings in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and they will continue to occur throughout the country.
Other ways to engage with the initiative will be through “thematic workshops” and an online survey that will open in March 2023. IRCC is looking for broad engagement from “stakeholders, businesses in various sectors, academia, interest groups, post-secondary institutions, settlement organizations, the public and, importantly, our clients” said IRCC.
Why is IRCC seeking input on their immigration strategy?
IRCC believes that for Canadian society to be strong, it must have immigration policies that are “modern, responsive to change, and aligned with Canada’s social, economic and cultural needs.” In order to attain these policy goals, they are seeking whole-of-society collaboration.
IRCC hopes that this immigration strategy will capture a diversity of perspectives. This includes academics, government officials, community organizations, and clients themselves.
In the end, there are a few key questions that IRCC wants to be able to answer with this immigration strategy:
- How can immigration support Canada’s economic and social goals for the future?
- What are the strengths of our immigration system today?
- What changes can we make to help us achieve long-term success, and what will be the milestones along the way?
- How can we best meet the needs of newcomers to Canada?
“Immigration is critical to Canada’s long-term success, and we need to ensure our policies and programs are aligned with the needs of our communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is launching this large-scale engagement initiative, which will provide an opportunity for a wide range of stakeholders and Canadians to share their ideas and perspectives on how we can build a stronger, more adaptive immigration system for Canada’s future.”
The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
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