The way Canada welcomes newcomers here is always changing, which we see in the frequently updated immigration policy. So, as a foreigner planning to move here, you have to stay well-informed about these updates. Staying current with the ever-changing regulations and requirement is really necessary as an immigrants for you to surf the immigration process easily when applying.
Canadian Immigration Policies and Regulations in 2024 According to Pathway
Express Entry System
So, Canada has many immigration programs for those trying to settle in this country. The Express Entry system is one popular pathway for skilled workers. It uses a points-based system to evaluate candidates, taking into account age, education, work experience, and language proficiency.
For this program, simple process is quicker, with faster times compared to other immigration streams, and you get to apply for permanent residency in Canada.
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)
PNPs, however, are made to meet the specific labor market demands of each province and territory. PNPs provide specialized pathways that align with Express Entry. So, as a nominated candidate, you’ll have additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points that boosts your likelihood of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency.
Family Sponsorship
This is another one you need to know as part of the Canadian immigration policies. Here, Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their family members for immigration purposes. The obvious idea is to help bring families together through sponsor spouses, dependent children, parents, and grandparents.
Family Sponsorship in Canada is important for family ties and relationships in the immigration process. The processing times for Family Sponsorship applications really depends on the relationship and category of sponsorship. However, this stream prioritizes family unity and is more compassionate of all the other Canada immigration policies.
These Immigration Pathways Are Unique
So, as you can see, each has unique eligibility criteria, processing times, and benefits. You just need to know where you fit in before you apply.
Express Entry, as we’ve seen, is for skilled workers with specific qualifications and work experience. This one is a direct route to permanent residency based on merit. And then we have Provincial Nominee Programs , which is typically for people with connections or skills that meet the economic requirements of a specific province here in Canada.
On the other hand, we’ve seen Family Sponsorship. So, if you have a family member in Canada, then this pathway is what you should be using to come to Canada and even obtain permanent residency.
What Canada’s Immigration Policies Have Been Like
Let’s just get a bit back with how Canada immigration policy changes often. Previouly, routine visa office operations outside Canada were suspended by the Canadian government during the early stages of 2020. This decision was made to reduce the spread of the virus and prioritize the safety of both staff and clients.
However, in spite of these challenges, the government persevered in accepting and processing urgent and emergency cases. Canadian government eventually implemented temporary exemptions to current immigration regulations. Now, what happened is that international graduates and workers were able to stay in Canada even after the status documents have expired. As an illustration, the Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident (TRPR) pilot program enabled international graduates to transition to permanent resident status without leaving the country.
In a similar vein, the Interim Public Policy for Temporary Foreign Workers allowed workers to extend their permits and maintain employment in Canada.
Now, Canada government has increased its reach of current immigration programs. It’s really to address the demands of the job market. As an example, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) was expanded to include more occupations that were considered essential. The Global Talent Stream under Express Entry has been adjusted to speed up the processing of applications for foreign tech talent.
What’s the Latest Updates to the Policies?
An important update has been made to the eligibility criteria for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Currently, qualified candidates with lower levels of formal education can qualify for immigration. One of the changes made was adjusting the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scoring matrix to prioritize candidates with higher language proficiencies and work experiences in high-demand fields.
Processing times for Express Entry applications have been significantly reduced. The government has also implemented a specialized service channel for Express Entry applicants, which guarantees timely responses to inquiries and enhanced communication during the application process.
Today, Canada ramped up the frequency of Express Entry draws. What this means is that eligible candidates are now receiving ITAs for permanent residency faster.
We also have the Global Talent Stream under Express Entry which has been adjusted to speed up the processing of applications for foreign tech talent.
As for the family pathway, we’ve seen that Canada has recently made changes to the eligibility criteria for certain familial relationships. Now, more people can sponsor their family members for immigration to Canada to make it easier for them to reunite. If you have someone here in Canada, they can bring you over—that’s what this means.
‘I’m Canada’ did make a very interesting video you might want to check out on this subject before leaving.
Conclusion
That’s it—just what you should know about the current policy changes as regards to immigration to Canada. This list is always updated to include new changes you may need to know before you prepare to either come to Canada or quickly switch from visa stay to permanent residency.
