Undocumented immigrants can become citizens of Canada
The move aligns with Canada’s ambitious immigration targets of bringing 500,000 immigrants annually by 2025
According to Canadian media on Friday, Canada is about to embark on a “broad and comprehensive” initiative that will enable a large number of illegal people to apply for permanent residency.
The decision, which is in line with Canada’s aggressive immigration plans that want to bring in 500,000 immigrants yearly by 2025, was made public by Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller in an interview with The Globe and Mail.
The main cause of Canada’s population expansion in recent years has been immigration, which has also been a major driver of economic growth.
Miller told The Globe and Mail that between 300,000 and 600,000 people are thought to be living in Canada without proper documentation, which puts them at risk of deportation because they don’t have official status.
It is anticipated that the scheme will encompass people who lawfully entered the nation as foreign students or temporary employees and stayed after their visas expired.
Miller went on to say that not everyone who has proper documentation, including those who have just arrived, will be able to petition for permanent status, according to Reuters.
“He intends to forward a proposal to the cabinet in the spring that would permit undocumented immigrants to “regularise their status,” the newspaper continued.
Amid the housing crisis and soaring inflation, the government announced last month that it will cease increasing immigration after 2026 and maintain immigration targets for the next two years.
Canada plans to add 465,000 new inhabitants this year, 485,000 in 2024, and 500,000 in 2025, when it hopes to reach and sustain a population of 500,000 by 2026.
