Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser make an announcement on improving and modernizing the immigration system, which will help to improve processing and client experience.
The Government of Canada is working hard to resettle at least 40,000 Afghan nationals as quickly and safely as possible. Over the past week, 335 government-assisted and privately sponsored Afghan refugees arrived in Canada on 10 commercial flights. They are destined for communities all across Canada, including Calgary, Winnipeg and Sherbrooke. To date, a total of 7,885 Afghan nationals have arrived in Canada.
Our immigration system has helped shape Canada into the country it is today – one that is prosperous, diverse, and welcoming to those in need. Newcomers enrich and better our communities, and they work every day to create jobs, care for our loved ones, and support local businesses. Throughout the pandemic, they have been on the front lines, working in key sectors like health care, transportation, and manufacturing. Without them, Canada would not have been able to overcome challenges in critical industries and sectors of the economy over the past 2 years. Now, more than ever, immigrants are a key part of our country’s continued success.
Infographic: Immigration and Canada’s economic recovery
The Government of Canada is working hard to resettle 40,000 Afghan nationals as quickly and safely as possible. Over the past week, nearly 460 Afghan refugees arrived in Canada on 20 different commercial flights. To date, a total of 7,550 Afghan nationals have arrived in Canada.
Canada needs immigration to drive our economy, help address labour shortages, and keep our communities thriving. The Government of Canada understands that to keep attracting talent as a destination of choice, we must remain committed to improving our client service and providing the best experience possible for people who see their future in Canada.
Global migration has been upended by the pandemic. Widespread travel restrictions, local public health measures, and constraints on our settlement partners have all had a significant impact on our clients’ ability to provide complete applications or travel. Measures taken to protect the health and safety of employees and Canadians have also affected IRCC’s ability to process paper applications and lengthened processing times for some. IRCC has taken action and come a long way since the onset of the pandemic—providing additional resources where they are needed most and streamlining our processes.
Immigration is the engine of the Canadian economy, helping to address labour shortages and keep our communities thriving. Newcomers have played an essential role in addressing some of our most severe labour shortages throughout the pandemic, including on the front lines. However, there remain challenges, including processing delays that have led to frustrations for those trying to come to Canada to work or reunite with their families. While Canada welcomed the highest number of permanent residents in a single year in 2021 by processing a record number of applications, border restrictions and other pandemic-related factors have led to delays for many applicants, and long waits for application updates. We know these need to be addressed.
Canada is responding as quickly as possible to the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan by helping bring Afghan citizens and their families safely to their new home. We remain firm in our commitment to resettle 40,000 Afghan nationals, and our partnerships with provinces, territories and settlement service providers across the country are key to achieving this goal.
Newcomers to Canada play a crucial role in the future of our country and contribute in important ways to our society and economic recovery from the pandemic. To ensure newcomers settling in small towns and rural communities have access to essential services during their first year in Canada, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced an investment of more than $35 million to expand resettlement capacity and settlement services across Canada.