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<aside> ℹ️ This page summarizes each federal parties plans in regards to immigration, refugees, and asylum seekers for the 2019 federal election. Only party's that currently hold seats in the Parliament are discussed.
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The Liberal Party of Canada (LPC) believes that immigration can contribute to Canada’s economic growth. For this reason, they had plans in place for the 2019 federal election to strengthen Canadian immigration. The LPC promised that they will increase immigration by welcoming highly skilled individuals. They also intend to continue working with the U.S. government to modify the Safe Third Country Agreement.
Two initiatives by the LPC include aiding specific communities with the Municipal Nominee Program and solidifying the Atlantic Immigration Pilot. The Municipal Nominee Program permits local communities, chambers of commerce, and local labour councils to sponsor immigrants. Solidifying the Atlantic Immigration Pilot aids in the promotion of immigration and economic development across Canada. The LPC also aims for both streams to receive a minimum of 5000 new spaces.
To continue supporting permanent residents on their path to citizenship, the LPC promised to make citizenship free. This will be done through removing application costs for all individuals who meet the eligibility criteria.
For detailed information on the Liberal Party of Canada's platform, please click here.
The Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) believes that economic immigration is beneficial for Canada through attracting the best applicants, promoting employment opportunities in various communities, filling in skills gaps, and negotiating greater jurisdiction for Quebec.
The CPC had the intention of reversing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s policy decision of reducing the number of points awarded for a job offer under the Express Entry Program. Reducing this will better align prospective immigrants with employment opportunities and will assist Canadian employers in filling in job shortages. The objective was to restructure the program so that it may be aligned with its original goals of recruiting the best and brightest, such as international students. However, for those who come to Canada as low-skilled employees, individuals who do not meet the educational requirements, the CPC will provide aid for their transition to permanent resident status by enabling employers to sponsor applications.
The CPC encourages immigrants to consider employment in remote areas with additional information readily available. They also plan to revisit the Temporary Foreign Workers Program to provide aid for businesses with vacancies so that it may meet domestic needs. The CPC proposes to build a trustworthy employer framework to eliminate duplication and simplify the application process for business. There will be consistent criteria and new deadlines for the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process. These measures will not prevent Canadians from having a chance at new employment opportunities.
The CPC plans to open negotiations with the Government of Quebec in order to resolve its unique immigration needs that were recognised by the Canada-Québec Accord. Future reforms will give Quebec more control over immigration and will benefit Canada.
For detailed information on the Conservative Party of Canada's platform, please click here.
The New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP) believes that immigration policies and levels should meet Canada’s labour force needs. They plan to work closely with provinces in order to close gaps in settlement services and increase the recognition of international qualifications. The NDP plans to prioritize family reunification and eliminate the "unjust" limit on applicants. Specifically in regards to the sponsoring of parents and grandparents. These actions aim to address the years-long backlogs that have slowed down family reunification in Canada.
Furthermore, the NDP will defend immigrants by prosecuting dishonest immigration consultants and ensuring that the labour market is controlled by the government. In regards to the case of caregivers who have been brought to Canada, the NDP plans to offer legal status and the opportunity to reunite with their families as soon as possible.
The NDP recognizes that Canada also plays an important role in refugee resettlement. Therefore, the goal is to revisit the system and eliminate the backlog on the growing asylum seeker waiting list. The NDP will also work closely with Canadians to resettle refugees in communities and provide them with the resources they need. They will also suspend the Safe Third Country agreement with the United States which will allow asylum claims to be made at official border crossings.
For detailed information on the New Democratic Party of Canada's platform, please click here.