The Canadian government has released a new immigrant guide that is more than twice the length of its predecessor.
The new Welcome to Canada guide, which is full of color photos and personal testimonies, is intended to help new immigrants prepare for their citizenship tests. It contains information on Canadian history, culture and laws.
The new version, however, is unique in that it is the first to contain information on marriage fraud and human smuggling – two issues that have been a top priority for the Conservative administration recently.
“It is a crime to marry Canadian citizens or permanent residents only to gain entry into Canada,” says the new guide. “Canadian citizens or permanent residents found to be part of a marriage of convenience for immigration purposes may be charged with a crime.”
Marriage is a major theme in the new guide, which also informs new arrivals that same-sex marriage is legal in Canada while noting that having more than one spouse at a time is not legal. Also appearing for the first time is information on Canada’s status as a constitutional monarchy and a section on the military.
The citizenship guide was first introduced by the Conservative government in 2007 and is published by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. It can be obtained by newcomers to Canada through settlement service providers as well as online through the government’s website.
Source: National Post