The Immigration Minister of Canada Shares Updates about Coronavirus

Marco Mendicino shared many updates on 5 May 2020 on how the coronavirus will influence the Canadian immigration system shortly.

In a 60-minute conversation with Canada's Bar Association’s Immigration Law Section, the Canadian immigration minister discussed topics such as levels of immigration, temporary immigrant workers, and global students.

Levels of Immigration: Canada will continue open to immigrants following COVID-19

Immigration will be essential to our success and our recovery of the economy, Mendicino said. “We remain to depend on immigration, it will be an economic operator and this will be the North Star of the policy going ahead.”

Mendicino noted that COVID-19 will not modify the long-term demographic trends of Canada. The Canadian worker-to-retiree ratio is decreasing, which indicates that the nation will proceed to need newcomers to promote economic growth.

IRCC’s Operations

Refugees, Immigration, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) staff are working remotely which is influencing the department’s capability to process applications for immigration. Nonetheless, I.R.C.C has setup remote operations to empower its staff to access the tools that they require to promote processing. This time has enabled I.R.C.C to innovate and enhance its processing in some respects. For instance, I.R.C.C has been able to facilitate the processing of seasonal agricultural workers below its Temporary Immigrant Worker Program (TFWP).

Temporary Immigrant Workers

The minister told that I.R.C.C is staying close in contact with the sector of agriculture and seafood sector companies in support of the federal government’s attempts to encourage Canadian food supply.

Global Students: Minister hints at higher flexibility

The minister said that I.R.C.C is remarkably grateful to different stakeholders who have given feedback on how the federal government can improve its global student policies in reply to the pandemic. He remarked IRCC’s new Post-Graduation Work Permit reformation which permits global students who take online courses to continue suitable for the P.G.W.P.