Original English author: Anna Mehler Paperny
Canada's immigration minister told Reuters on Thursday (October 21) that Canada could extend the deadline for a program launched this year and is considering expanding eligibility for the program to include refugee claimants as well. The program is designed to provide temporary residents working in key industries with access to permanent residency.
In the health care plan from temporary to permanent residency announced in April, a further 14,000 of the 20,000 places are vacant ahead of the November 5 deadline.
Canadian Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino said: "I think we should be open to whether to extend the deadline. ”
He also said he was considering continuing to expand the program in the future, including accepting refugee claimants and giving them work permits while waiting for immigration approval.
"I will always keep an open mind and seek more new policies that will deliver the most results for migrants, refugees and the country's economy."
Syed Hussan, executive director of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, said it was "strange" that an initiative aimed at providing temporary residents with a pathway to permanent residency excluded some of the most unstable.
"Those working in health care on the front lines of COVID-19 are excluded from this program," Hussan said. He was referring to refugee claimants.
Canada is struggling to bring in 401,000 new immigrants this year, a record number. According to Immigration Canada, as of Aug. 31, about 70 per cent of 222275 who have been granted permanent residency this year are Temporary residents in Canada.
Some industries in Canada have asked the federal government to allow more immigrant workers to enter Canada to address the labor shortage.
Quebec signed an agreement with the federal government in August to allow for more temporary foreign workers. Ontario has recently expressed the same will.
Jamie Chai Yun Liew, a professor of immigration law at the University of Ottawa, said Canada's economy is in dire need of labor, immigrants need stability and protection, and Canada needs to provide a pathway to permanent residency for those already in Canada and ensure that new immigrants get a stable commitment when they arrive in Canada.
"There are many reasons why temporary workers are not a sustainable thing... I think the government has begun to hear it. ”
Mendicino said it was important to provide more "transition opportunities" for newcomers, but added that protecting workers' rights, regardless of worker status, was "imperative."
"I firmly believe that immigrant status should not be used to exploit any individual . . . The ability to transition from temporary to permanent positions can create more balance, thus consolidating the relationship between employers and employees. ”
Link to the original English text:
https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canada-may-look-at-making-more-temporary-migrants-permanent-mendicino-says-1.5633408
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