Kenney Introduces Plan for Faster Immigration

Minister of Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism, the Hon. Jason Kenney at a press conference in Ottawa on November 28 announced government plans for faster processing of immigrant applications to Canada. Minister Kenney recognises this need and stated “We expect federal skilled worker applicants, including those with arranged employment, to receive a decision within six to 12 months, compared with up to six years under the old system.”

In a press release, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress welcomes the news that Minister Kenney has recognised the need for faster immigration processing  and has plans to end the backlog of applications. The President of the Canadian Ukrainian Immigrant Aid Society and UCC Immigration Committee Chair, Eugene Duvalko stated “We are glad to see Minister Kenney get to work quickly in tackling the problem of backlog and processing times. However potential immigrants from Ukraine and those in Canada advocating on their behalf will be disappointed by the narrow profile that the federal program seeks to let into Canada. Immigrant assisting groups and agencies will have to work harder and smarter in finding immigrants that fit the new criteria or redirect others to provinces that have more open provincial immigration programs such as Saskatchewan.”

The Hon. Jason Kenney addresses changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) Bill C-50 at Winnipeg’s Canadian Club on November 13, 2008 (speech excerpt)

Just as immigration has been essential to Canada’s economic development, it is an indispensable part of our future economy. In 2007, Canada admitted a record 430,000 people from 216 countries, 60,000 more than four years ago, and the largest total number of newcomers in our history. Frankly, this is because Canada needs these newcomers to fill large and growing labour shortages in the most dynamic areas of our economy. As Prime Minister Harper has said, “the least understood challenge in the next generation will be potential widespread labour shortages.” What we have seen so far, he said, “will only be the tip of the iceberg if we do not get our act together.”

In the last 50 years, our labour force grew by 200 percent.  But in the next 50 years, it is predicted to grow by only 11 percent. “Not only is the backlog a source of great irritation for those patiently waiting their term. It will hold back Canada’s economic growth,” the Prime Minister noted.

But let me be clear:  our government inherited some very serious challenges in the immigration system that must be fixed if we are to ensure that immigration works well for Canada, and for newcomers, in the future. For instance, we inherited an enormous backlog of over 800,000 applications waiting to be processed, which has caused waiting times to stretch as long several years. Not only does that frustrate new Canadians waiting patiently to be re-united with their families, but it means that we are losing many of the most highly skilled migrants to countries like Australia and New Zealand, whose waiting times are a fraction of ours.

That’s why we have acted to modernize the immigration system.

For instance, earlier this year we changed the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) through Bill C-50.  These changes are a big step to better aligning immigration with our labour market needs, and to reducing the massive backlog and unacceptable wait times.

Following widespread consultations held earlier this year, I will soon be releasing a list of those professions and trades which are most urgently in need of new workers.  Immigrants abroad who apply to come to Canada as Skilled Foreign Workers, and whose experience or training match these categories will have their applications processed on a priority basis. 

Our modernization of the immigration system also includes the introduction of the Canadian Experience Class with the goal being to keep skilled, credentialed and talented workers and international students in Canada who are already living here.

We have also made significant improvements to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to help Canadian employers address the challenges they face in filling labour shortages.