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Conservative Party Of Canada Policies On Canadian Immigration

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June 21, 2024

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Conservative Party Of Canada Policies On Canadian Immigration

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Last Updated On 21 June 2024, 9:24 PM EDT (Toronto Time)

Canada has seen a significant influx of immigrants, contributing to its cultural diversity and economic growth in recent years.

With the next Canadian elections due on or before October 20, 2025, many have questions about whether Conservatives will close the doors for immigration, if they come into power.

Former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper said in 2018 that he is against illegal immigration. He said that he is fundamentally pro-immigration, but it has to be legal and is not a right.

It is often a perception that Conservatives will stop immigration or are against it, but not to forget that Canada needs immigration to support its retiring population and declining birth rate.

As a result of recent developments after a few hours of publishing this article, the current prime minister candidate of the Conservative Party, Pierre Poilievre, did mention that immigration will be much lower if they are elected, especially temporary residents.

So we can expect that they will significantly cut down the immigration target, if elected in upcoming elections.

Their policy declaration, amended in September 2023, aims to foster a fair, efficient, and compassionate immigration system that benefits both newcomers and Canadian society as a whole.

Also, we have seen Liberals adopt some proposed changes in the 2021 elections, such as increasing the duration of stay on a super visa from 2 to 5 years.

In this article, we list all the priorities on which Conservatives aim to work in regards to immigration that can help provide a preview of their governance if elected to power.

Canada’s immigration policies of Conservatives

Disclaimer: We are neither affiliated with nor support any political party.

Introduction to the Conservative Party’s Immigration Policy

The Conservative Party supports a non-partisan approach to immigration, emphasizing transparency, efficiency, and public confidence in the system.

Their vision consists of several key principles that guide their immigration policy framework:

1. Fairness and Transparency: They advocate for a fair and transparent process that earns respect both domestically and internationally.

2. Family Reunification: Their emphasis is on compassionate measures to facilitate family reunification, recognizing its importance in immigrant integration.

3. Skilled Immigration: Conservatives want to prioritize attracting skilled immigrants, along with their spouses and children, to contribute to Canada’s economic prosperity.

4. Credential Recognition: The conservative party supports a streamlined process for immigrants to obtain recognition of their international skills, training, and experience.

5. Settlement Support: They stress the need for adequate long-term funding for settlement service providers to help immigrants successfully integrate into Canadian society.

6. Refugee Protection: They uphold Canada’s humanitarian tradition by providing a safe haven for refugees and advocating for a fair and efficient refugee determination process.

Detailed Analysis of the Conservative Party’s Immigration Proposals

1. Settlement Support

The Conservative Party emphasizes the role of settlement organizations and community support in facilitating immigrant integration.

Key policies include:

Cooperation with Provinces and Municipalities: Collaborating with local governments to develop policies that enhance settlement support for immigrants.

Language Instruction: Ensuring adequate resources for language instruction to help immigrants achieve functional capability in English or French is crucial for their integration into Canadian society.

Funding Stability: Streamlining the funding process to provide enhanced stability for settlement service providers, enabling long-term planning and service delivery.

Regional Mobility of Funds: We are exploring the feasibility of using federal funds for settlement services to follow newcomers across different regions, ensuring equitable access to these services.

2. Immigration by Temporary Workers

Recognizing the value of temporary workers as potential immigrants, the Conservative Party proposal includes:

Pilot Projects: Continue to develop pilot projects addressing skills shortages in specific sectors and regions, attracting temporary workers to Canada.

Pathway to Permanent Residence: Facilitating the transition of temporary workers to permanent status and acknowledging their contributions to the Canadian economy.

Worker Protections: Ensuring that temporary workers, including seasonal workers, receive the same protections under minimum employment standards as Canadian workers is crucial.

3. Entry Applications, Permits, and Landing Fees

The Conservative Party proposes a solution to address the challenges in the immigration application process.

They want to ensure that Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has sufficient staff and resources to boost the efficiency of application processing.

Information Accessibility: Reorganizing the application process to provide applicants with accurate information, timely updates on application status, and professional service.

Family Unity: They favour reunification of married couples when one partner’s application for non-status individuals is processed.

Landing Fees: Conservatives advocate for a reduction in landing fees for new immigrants, with the aim of easing their financial burden upon arrival in Canada.

4. Recognition of international credentials

To maximize the potential of immigrants with foreign qualifications, the Conservative Party proposes the following:

Credential Evaluation: Working with provinces and professional associations to develop a fair process for assessing and recognizing international credentials and experience.

Equivalency Exams: Ensuring equivalency exams are reflective of Canadian standards and provide a clear pathway to professional status.

Integration Programs: supporting transition and bridging programs that facilitate the integration of foreign-qualified individuals into the Canadian workforce.

Professional Prequalification: Collaborating with recognized professional bodies to prequalify internationally trained individuals for specific occupations, streamlining the immigration process.

5. Refugee Determination

With a commitment to Canada’s humanitarian obligations, the Conservative Party proposes reforms to the refugee determination system:

Process Streamlining: They advocate for a streamlined process to validate refugee claims, ensuring timely decisions with due respect to due process and safety considerations.

Fair Appeals Process: Developing a fair and timely refugee appeals process to enhance system integrity and accountability.

Priority to Conventional Refugees: Giving priority to refugees identified under the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.

6. Birthright Citizenship

The Conservative Party supports legislative changes regarding birthright citizenship to eliminate birthright citizenship in Canada unless one of the child’s parents is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Conclusion

The Conservative Party of Canada presents a comprehensive approach to immigration, focusing on fairness, efficiency, and integration.

Their proposals aim to address current challenges in the immigration system while upholding Canada’s humanitarian values and economic needs.

Conservatives are expected to reduce annual immigration targets, but they seems to not have any plan to shut down the doors to immigrants.

By emphasizing transparency, support for newcomers, and strategic reforms, the Conservative Party seeks to ensure that Canada’s immigration policy serves the best interests of both immigrants and the Canadian society they join.

As debates continue on immigration policy, these proposals provide a framework for shaping Canada’s future as a welcoming and prosperous nation.

Source: Conservatives party of Canada’s policy declaration document

Gagandeep Kaur Sekhon moved to Canada in 2010 on a study visa. She navigated through the ups and downs of her student life and gained her permanent residency in 2015. Today, she is a proud Canadian citizen residing in Calgary, Alberta. She is mother of 2 beautiful daughters and making her difference through writing and guidance at INC – Immigration News Canada.