“Come to Canada,” encourages Canadian Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino in the wake of the United States’ announcement of permanent and temporary visa suspensions last June 23.
Believing it would help American workers struggling due to COVID-19 find employment, US President Donald Trump signed a new Executive Order last Tuesday, preventing new green card holders and temporary foreign workers from entering the USA this 2020.
Though their neighbors hold a different view on immigration, Minister Mendicino has constantly remarked that Canada is still committed to welcoming immigrants, temporary foreign workers, and international students despite the COVID-19 crisis.
While Canada’s economy has not survived the pandemic unscathed, Mendicino and the Canadian government believe that welcoming immigrants will have a positive effect on the weakened economy.
Mendicino himself has said that immigration will “spring Canada’s economic recovery.”
“We have a plan in place that looks to leverage the best and the brightest from around the world. We’ve got pathways like the Express Entry program, and the Global Talent Stream, which will help to bring entrepreneurs, engineers, and innovators. We’ve also got pathways for manual laborers and skilled laborers.”
In the months since Canada closed their borders to combat the spread of the coronavirus, they have still continued to welcome new immigrants through the many permanent resident pathways into the country. Notably, they have continued to send invitations to Express Entry candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), or who have qualified for a provincial nomination through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP),
Earlier this year, Canada presented their 2020-2022 Immigration Levels Plan, which sought to welcome over one million permanent residents by 2022. They are also hoping to welcome more new residents this year than they did in 2019.
Canada continues to offer numerous immigration streams to international students and temporary foreign workers who wish to obtain permanent residency.
