In a recent announcement, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed significant changes to his cabinet, ushering in a new era for the country's immigration policies. Among the key changes is the appointment of Marc Miller as the new immigration minister. As Canada continues to pursue ambitious immigration levels to address its demographic challenges and bolster its economy, the role of the immigration minister becomes increasingly critical. Let's take a closer look at the new minister, Marc Miller, and the government's immigration priorities.
Meet Marc Miller: A Fresh Face for Canadian Immigration
Canada's new immigration minister, Marc Miller, is a Member of Parliament from Quebec who has been actively involved in public service for several years. Before taking on his new role, Miller served as the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, focusing on supporting the self-determination of Canada's Indigenous peoples. This background demonstrates his commitment to addressing important social and cultural issues in the country.
Before entering politics, Marc Miller had a diverse background. He was a practicing lawyer, bringing legal expertise to his current role. Additionally, he served in the Canadian Armed Forces, showcasing his dedication to serving his country in various capacities. Born and raised in Montreal, Miller has a deep connection to his home province and a nuanced understanding of its unique needs and challenges.
Canada's Pursuit of Higher Immigration Levels
Before the pandemic, Canada aimed to admit 340,000 new permanent residents each year. During the pandemic, recognizing the crucial role of immigrants in the country's economic recovery, Canada further increased its targets to over 400,000 annually. Now, with the Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025 in place, the country seeks to welcome an impressive 500,000 permanent residents annually by 2025.
This pursuit of higher immigration levels aligns with Canada's demographic realities, as its aging population and low birth rate necessitate measures to support economic growth and sustainability. The government views immigration as a means to strengthen the country's economy and fiscal standing, especially as it faces historically low unemployment rates and record-high job vacancy rates.
The Road Ahead: Immigration Policies and Priorities
In December 2021, the former immigration minister, Sean Fraser, received a mandate letter that highlighted several key immigration policies to focus on:
Hiking Immigration Levels: To address labor market needs and support economic growth.
Improving Application Processing: To enhance efficiency and reduce wait times for newcomers.
Reforming Express Entry: To streamline the skilled immigration system and achieve specific economic goals.
Strengthening Family Reunification: To facilitate the reunification of families in Canada.
Promoting Francophone Immigration: To bolster the presence of French-speaking immigrants in Canada.
Over the past months, the former minister, Sean Fraser, has taken steps to implement these policies. For example, Canada has recently introduced category-based selection for Express Entry, which aims to achieve various economic priorities while promoting francophone immigration. Additionally, measures have been put in place to facilitate family reunification in the country.
In a significant achievement, IRCC has managed to reduce its application backlog to under 1 million for the first time since the pandemic began.
According to recent data up to June 30, 2023, IRCC revealed that they are currently managing a total of 2,264,000 applications in all their inventories. These inventories consist of applications yet to be finalized, which includes both those processed within their service standards and those exceeding the standard processing time, contributing to the backlog.
Throughout the year 2022, IRCC successfully finalized an impressive 5.2 million decisions across their lines of business, showcasing their dedication to handle the influx of applications and streamline the immigration process.
This remarkable milestone achieved by IRCC illustrates the legacy left by Hon. Sean Fraser, the former Immigration Minister's commitment to ensuring a smoother and more efficient immigration process for applicants.