Immigration

The Canadian border crossing is seen during the COVID-19 pandemic in Lacolle, Que. on Friday, Feb. 12, 2021. A new poll suggests the vast majority of Canadians are worried about how the federal Liberal government’s plan to dramatically increase immigration levels over the next few years will affect housing and government services. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Canadians divided on Ottawa’s plan to admit more immigrants: poll

75 per cent of respondents concerned plan would result in excessive demand for housing and services

The Canadian border crossing is seen during the COVID-19 pandemic in Lacolle, Que. on Friday, Feb. 12, 2021. A new poll suggests the vast majority of Canadians are worried about how the federal Liberal government’s plan to dramatically increase immigration levels over the next few years will affect housing and government services. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser makes an announcement in Ottawa on Friday, October 7, 2022. The federal government is planning a massive increase in the number of immigrants entering Canada per year, with a target of 500,000 by 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

Ottawa reveals plan to welcome 500,000 immigrants per year by 2025

Move aimed to ensure Canada’s economic prosperity as the country struggles with a labour shortage

Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser makes an announcement in Ottawa on Friday, October 7, 2022. The federal government is planning a massive increase in the number of immigrants entering Canada per year, with a target of 500,000 by 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
Pedestrians walk down St. Catherine street Monday April 6, 2020 in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Record share of Canadians are immigrants or permanent residents, census shows

Statistics Canada says immigration is the main driver of population growth

Pedestrians walk down St. Catherine street Monday April 6, 2020 in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino arrives at a cabinet meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Federal immigration committee to discuss allegations department misled a judge

Former immigration minister Marco Mendicino has denied claims

Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino arrives at a cabinet meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Bank towers are shown from Bay Street in Toronto’s financial district on Wednesday, June 16, 2010. Canada is banking on newcomers to help keep the economy humming along, while banks themselves are eying the hundreds of thousands of people coming to the country every year as a key source of client growth. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrien Veczan

Canadian banks look to newcomers as key source of client growth

Some banks forming partnerships with international ones to make transitioning to Canada easier

Bank towers are shown from Bay Street in Toronto’s financial district on Wednesday, June 16, 2010. Canada is banking on newcomers to help keep the economy humming along, while banks themselves are eying the hundreds of thousands of people coming to the country every year as a key source of client growth. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrien Veczan
Sean Fraser speaks at an event in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. The immigration minister says the government is looking at ways to prioritize visa applications for international students set to start school this coming semester as many are left wondering whether they’ll make it to Canada in time for school.THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

Visa delays leaving international students in limbo for fall semester

34 per cent of pending applications were taking longer to process than government standards

Sean Fraser speaks at an event in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. The immigration minister says the government is looking at ways to prioritize visa applications for international students set to start school this coming semester as many are left wondering whether they’ll make it to Canada in time for school.THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
Sean Fraser speaks at an event in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. The immigration minister says his department is going on a hiring blitz to bring 1,250 new employees on board to tackle massive backlogs in processing applications.THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

More than 1.3 million immigration applications still in backlog

Backlog represents about 54 per cent of all the pending applications in the system

Sean Fraser speaks at an event in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. The immigration minister says his department is going on a hiring blitz to bring 1,250 new employees on board to tackle massive backlogs in processing applications.THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
A Canada Border Services Agency officer speaks to a motorist entering Canada at the Douglas-Peace Arch border crossing in Surrey, B.C. on Monday, August 9, 2021. One-quarter of front line employees surveyed at Canada’s border agency said they had directly witnessed a colleague discriminate against a traveller in the previous two years. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

One in four border officers witnessed discrimination by colleagues: internal report

Figures drawn from survey conducted as part of an internal Canada Border Services Agency evaluation

A Canada Border Services Agency officer speaks to a motorist entering Canada at the Douglas-Peace Arch border crossing in Surrey, B.C. on Monday, August 9, 2021. One-quarter of front line employees surveyed at Canada’s border agency said they had directly witnessed a colleague discriminate against a traveller in the previous two years. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Motorists wait at U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspection booths at the Peace Arch border crossing in Blaine, Wash., across the Canada-U.S. border from Surrey, B.C., on Monday, November 8, 2021. Amid ongoing cultural and social upheaval in the U.S., more Americans are seriously considering a move north of the border. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Shootings, abortion, Trump: are fed-up Americans getting serious about getting out?

Government stats show steady increase in people from the U.S. granted permanent residence in Canada

Motorists wait at U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspection booths at the Peace Arch border crossing in Blaine, Wash., across the Canada-U.S. border from Surrey, B.C., on Monday, November 8, 2021. Amid ongoing cultural and social upheaval in the U.S., more Americans are seriously considering a move north of the border. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Truck driver Jaskirat Singh Sidhu walks into the Kerry Vickar Centre for his sentencing in Melfort, Sask., Friday, March 22, 2019. The lawyer for the former truck driver who caused the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash hopes he will get a chance to argue against his client’s possible deportation before the Federal Court of Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Kayle Neis

Lawyer for trucker in Broncos crash hopes to argue against deportation

Jaskirat Singh Sidhu was sentenced to 8 years for dangerous driving causing death and bodily harm

Truck driver Jaskirat Singh Sidhu walks into the Kerry Vickar Centre for his sentencing in Melfort, Sask., Friday, March 22, 2019. The lawyer for the former truck driver who caused the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash hopes he will get a chance to argue against his client’s possible deportation before the Federal Court of Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Kayle Neis
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden talk as they take part in a G7 family photo at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on Thursday, March 24, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

At this week’s Summit of the Americas, Canada has stake in U.S. border challenges

If foreign policy was purely a matter of geography, one might assume…

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden talk as they take part in a G7 family photo at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on Thursday, March 24, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino rises during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, April 26, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Liberals move to bar sanctioned Russians from Canada through immigration amendments

Changes would enable Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada officials to deny visas

Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino rises during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, April 26, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
(Black Press file photo)

To retain immigrants, decision-makers must address systemic failures

Pandemic exacerbates issues faced by immigrants

  • Mar 26, 2022
(Black Press file photo)
Abdelrahman Elmady is shown in a handout photo. Dozens of Muslim Canadian organizations are pleading to the prime minister, public safety minister, and president of the Canada Border Services Agency to intervene on behalf of Egyptian refugee claimants in Vancouver who have been denied because of their association with the Freedom and Justice Party. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO

Muslim groups ask feds to intervene on behalf of Egyptian refugees in Vancouver

From 2015 to 2021, Canada received over 3,900 refugee claims from Egypt and accepted about 3,100

Abdelrahman Elmady is shown in a handout photo. Dozens of Muslim Canadian organizations are pleading to the prime minister, public safety minister, and president of the Canada Border Services Agency to intervene on behalf of Egyptian refugee claimants in Vancouver who have been denied because of their association with the Freedom and Justice Party. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO
Thousands of foreign-trained doctors are unable to practise medicine in Canada, despite severe doctor shortages. (Unsplash)

Regulations prevent foreign-trained B.C. doctor from practising

Despite severe doctor shortage, international medical graduates face years of barriers in Canada

Thousands of foreign-trained doctors are unable to practise medicine in Canada, despite severe doctor shortages. (Unsplash)
(Black Press file photo)

B.C. population growth highlights need for immigrant supports: advocates

Affordable housing, underemployment are key issues for immigrants in B.C.

(Black Press file photo)
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Sean Fraser rises during Question Period, Monday, December 6, 2021 in Ottawa. \THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

COVID-19 might have lasting impacts on the way Canada handles immigration: Minister

Last month the government welcomed a record number of permanent residents

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Sean Fraser rises during Question Period, Monday, December 6, 2021 in Ottawa. \THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Josh Waters and his one-year-old English Staffy cross, Rocky. (Twila Amato/Black Press Media)

COVID, heartbreak among speedbumps in Australian’s road to residency in Kelowna

Josh Waters shares his experience in the hopes to help others like him

Josh Waters and his one-year-old English Staffy cross, Rocky. (Twila Amato/Black Press Media)