Canada's new immigration policy 2017

In 2017, the Government of Canada introduced several changes to its immigration policy, aimed at attracting more skilled workers, increasing diversity, and addressing labor market needs. Some key changes include:

  1. Express Entry System: The Express Entry system was introduced in 2015, and in 2017, it was further refined to prioritize candidates with higher language proficiency, education, and job offers. The system allows eligible candidates to submit an online application for permanent residence and be considered for selection.
  2. Global Skills Strategy: The Global Skills Strategy was launched in 2017 to attract highly skilled workers in specific fields, such as technology, healthcare, and finance. The program allows employers to hire foreign workers for up to 180 days without a labor market impact assessment (LMIA).
  3. International Mobility Program: The International Mobility Program was expanded to allow more foreign workers to come to Canada under international agreements, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).
  4. Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program: The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program was launched in 2017 to attract skilled workers to the Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador). The program allows employers to hire foreign workers for jobs that are difficult to fill locally.
  5. Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program: The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program was launched in 2019, but it was announced in 2017 as a pilot project to attract skilled workers to rural and northern communities.
  6. Increased immigration targets: In 2017, the Government of Canada announced plans to increase immigration targets to 300,000 permanent residents per year by 2024, up from 260,000 in 2016.
  7. New language requirements: In 2017, the Government of Canada introduced new language requirements for Express Entry candidates, requiring a minimum language proficiency of CLB 7 in English or French.
  8. New education requirements: In 2017, the Government of Canada introduced new education requirements for Express Entry candidates, requiring a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent.
  9. Increased focus on diversity: In 2017, the Government of Canada announced plans to increase diversity in immigration by prioritizing candidates from underrepresented groups, such as women, visible minorities, and Indigenous peoples.
  10. Improved processing times: In 2017, the Government of Canada announced plans to reduce processing times for immigration applications, with a goal of processing 80% of applications within six months.

These changes aimed to attract more skilled workers, increase diversity, and address labor market needs in Canada.