Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - April 2008
Controversy has erupted over proposed immigration legislation included in the new budget by the Conservative Government due to changes that critics argue are “unfair” and will discourage many potential immigrants from even applying for permanent residency.
The new rules, intended to reduce waiting times, would allow the Minister of Immigration to “issue instructions to the department as to whether certain applications should be processed quickly and whether some applications should be processed at all,” according to the Globe and Mail.
The department would also be able to refuse certain applications, if it was deemed that the applicants did not possess certain skills, even if they were to qualify under the current point system. Finally, there would now be a set limit on the number of applications to be processed each year.
If someone in a certain field applies, and the quota in that profession has already been met, their application would be returned to them and they would have to re-apply the following year.
The Conservative government says that these new measures are intended to reduce the current backlog of applications in processing and to allow those whose skills are most needed to have quicker access to Canada.
Rather than processing applications on a “first-come, first-served” basis, certain professions (those facing critical shortages in Canada) would be bumped to the head of the line to be processed first.
However, critics in other political parties argue that the changes are unfair and will signal to possible immigrants that Canada is becoming less open in its immigration policies. Some go so far as saying that, for most people, it will not worth the trouble of applying. A limit on the number of applications processed per year will automatically result in less applications granted, which will discourage applicants from areas where there are virtually no backlogs.
The New Democratic Party’s Olivia Chow said that the new system would be more “cumbersome” and “opaque” rather than transparent. “It’s a lottery, and arbitrary, and unpredictable.”
The government has countered this argument saying that, though there may be less overall applicants, Canada would be more likely to attract the specific professionals it needs if they know their applications will be processed efficiently. They also argue that any decrease in applicants will be offset by an increase in temporary visas granted each year.
The opposition party has been left with no choice but to concede on the issue and vote in favour of the new budget (with these new policies) should they wish to avoid toppling the government and running an election campaign.
Source: The Globe and Mail
