The Canadian government plans to create a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, including a broad program.
The decision aims to open the doors to those who have lived and worked in Canada without legal status for an extended period, ranging from individuals in the construction industry, VisaGuide.World reports.
As local media report, this announcement aligns with Canada’s ambitious immigration goals, which target welcoming 500,000 immigrants annually by 2025. The country’s population expansion has been primarily driven by immigration, catalyzing economic growth in recent times.
In this regard, the country’s Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, estimated that the number of individuals residing in Canada without proper documentation ranges from 300,000 to 600,000.
A significant portion of this population has contributed to the labor force for long periods, raising families in the country, yet faces the dangerous threat of deportation due to their lack of formal immigration status – a situation he regards as “absolutely meaningless”.
As Miller explains, the initiative is designed to enable individuals who need proper documents, including those who initially entered the country legally as temporary workers or international students but stayed beyond the expiration of their visas, to apply for permanent residency. Miller intends to present a formal proposal to the cabinet in the spring.
Despite these economic considerations, the government has maintained existing immigration targets for the next two years. Starting in 2026, there will be a pause in the gradual escalation of immigration numbers, with Canada aspiring to welcome 465,000 new residents in 2023, 485,000 in 2024, and reaching its target of 500,000 stable at the level of 2020.
In October 2023, the Canadian government also presented a new humanitarian pathway to benefit Colombian, Haitian, and Venezuelan citizens residing in Central South America or the Caribbean and having extended family connections in Canada.
Minister Miller said this decision will take effect in the upcoming fall, bringing 11,000 migrants from these three countries to Canada. He also added that in March of this year, the country committed to welcoming 15,000 migrants from the Western Hemisphere on a humanitarian basis.
Moreover, Minister Miller pointed out that Canada is also welcoming an additional 4,000 temporary foreign workers from the region this year, with the majority already arriving in Canada. Based on these figures, he expressed confidence that the country is on track to meet this target.