Dear Mr Brown:

I am seeing that the Canadian high commission is refusing a lot of visas and permits during the pandemic. When do think this will end? I find the whole situation frustrating.

– MV

Dear MV:

I can understand your frustration. Personally, I believe that operations should revert to normal when the pandemic becomes an endemic, ie, a constant disease in societies that is managed with vaccination (like chicken pox.)

Endemic

In light of the new Omicron variant (and other potential variants), I cannot be sure of an exact timeline. However, in response to your query, I would state by 2023.

Some researchers have stated recently that Omicron could actually hasten the virus’ transition from pandemic to endemic due to Omicron’s high rate of transmission and danger to unvaccinated and non-boosted people, hospitalisations and deaths could rise significantly in the coming months. However, survivors could emerge with a degree of natural immunity that could help protect against COVID’s next variant of concern.

Immigration mandate

Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau laid out the federal government’s priorities in a mandate letter written to the immigration minister on December 16, 2021. In the letter, Trudeau has outlined 13 measures that the immigration department is meant to focus on.

I think some of the noteworthy instructions include the following:

• Reduce application processing times, including to address delays that have been impacted by COVID-19.

• Work to strengthen family reunification by introducing electronic applications for family reunification and implementing a programme to issue temporary resident status to spouses and children abroad while they wait for the processing of their permanent residency application.

• Make the citizenship application process free for permanent residents who have fulfilled the requirements needed to obtain it.

• Expand pathways to Permanent Residence for international students and temporary foreign workers through the Express Entry system. With respect to pathways for agricultural temporary foreign workers, you will be supported in this work by the minister of agriculture and agri-food.

The other instructions include the following:

• Continue to bring newcomers to Canada to drive economic growth and recovery, as set out in the 2021-2023 Immigration Levels Plan.

• Expand the new immigration stream for human rights defenders and work with civil society groups to provide resettlement opportunities for people under threat.

• With the support of the minister of foreign affairs, continue to facilitate the safe passage and resettlement of vulnerable people from Afghanistan, with an emphasis on individuals who supported Canada and our allies over the past two decades, women, LGBTQ2 people, human rights defenders, journalists and members of religious and ethnic minorities and increase the number of eligible refugees from 20,000 to at least 40,000.

• With the minister of employment, workforce development and disability inclusion, establish a trusted employer system for Canadian companies hiring temporary foreign workers and, as part of improving the Global Talent Stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Programme, simplify permit renewals, uphold the two-week processing time and establish an employer hotline.

Continue to work with provinces, territories and regulatory bodies to improve foreign credential recognition.

• Build on existing pilot programmes to further explore ways of regularising status for undocumented workers who are contributing to Canadian communities.

• Continue working with Quebec to support the French-language knowledge of immigrants in Quebec, respecting provincial jurisdiction and complementing existing measures, and continue to implement an ambitious national strategy to support Francophone immigration across the country.

• Lead the government’s work on irregular migration, including continued work with the United States to modernize the Safe Third Country Agreement.

• Building on the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot, work with employers and communities across Canada to welcome 2,000 skilled refugees to fill labour shortages in high-demand sectors such as health care.

• Ensure that immigration better supports small- and medium-size communities that require additional immigrants to enhance their economic growth and social vibrancy. This will include expanding the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, moving forward on the Municipal Nominee Program and making the successful Atlantic Immigration Pilot a permanent programme.

Please visit JAMAICA2CANADA.COM for additional information on Canadian Permanent Residence programs, including Express Entry, The Study & Work programme, Visas or Appeals, etc.

Antonn Brown, BA, (Hons), LLB, MSc, RCIC, is an immigration counsel and an accredited Canadian education agent of JAMAICA2CANADA.COM—a Canadian immigration & education firm in Kingston. Send questions/comments to documents.jamaica2canada@gmail.com