The official launch of a humanitarian pathway for people impacted by the conflict in Sudan; new visa requirements for Mexican citizens; and two pilot projects to boost Francophone immigration and immigration to rural communities.
Those are among the new initiatives announced by Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in recent weeks. If you missed any of those announcements, don’t worry! The LMLIP is here to bring you up to speed with everything you need to know.
Humanitarian Pathway for people affected by the conflict in Sudan
IRCC has begun accepting applications for a new family-based, humanitarian pathway that will allow Sudanese and non-Sudanese nationals affected by the war in the Northeast African country to immigrate to Canada.
Initially announced in late December, the program comes in response to the violent clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, which the United Nations Refugee Agency says has resulted in the displacement of nearly eight million people, including internally displaced people, asylum seekers and refugees.
To be able to apply for the program, applicants must be “a child of any age, grandchild, parent, grandparent, or sibling of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is living in Canada,” IRCC says. Applicants also had to be living in Sudan when the conflict began on April 15, 2023, and have a family member in Canada who would agree to support them and help them build their new life in the country.
“The ongoing conflict in Sudan, as well as the humanitarian situation on the ground, remains deeply concerning,” Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, said of the program on Dec. 28.
“Canada will continue to help those in need and uphold our humanitarian traditions as a country. This humanitarian pathway will help reunite loved ones and save lives. We recognize the resilience of the Sudanese people, and are grateful for their continued contributions to their communities and our country.”
As part of the program, which officially launched on Feb. 27, the government of Canada will receive 3,250 applications. For more information, you can visit IRCC’s website here.
New travel requirements for Mexican citizens
The Canadian government has started implementing new visa requirements for Mexican citizens wanting to travel to Canada and who are doing so by air.
As part of the new changes, which came into effect Feb. 29, Mexican nationals who hold a valid US non-immigrant visa or have held a Canadian visa over the past 10 years will be able to apply for an electronic travel authorization (eTA) to enter the country.
Those who don’t meet those conditions will now need to apply for a Canadian visitor visa.
IRCC says the new requirements come as a result of “an increase in asylum claims made by Mexican citizens that are refused, withdrawn or abandoned.”
According to the government, asylum claims from Mexican citizens accounted for 17 per cent of all claims made in 2023. However, about 60 per cent of those claims were either rejected by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, or withdrawn or abandoned by the applicant at a time “when Canada’s asylum system, housing and social services were already under significant pressure.”
“Canada and Mexico have maintained a deep, positive and constructive diplomatic partnership over the past 80 years. We have worked to ensure North America is the world’s most competitive economic region and maintain strong bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation,” IRCC said in a news release. This is “an important step to preserve mobility for hundreds of thousands of Mexican citizens, while also ensuring the sound management of our immigration and asylum systems.”
The Canadian government said the application process for Mexican citizens seeking a work or study permit in Canada will remain the same, meaning Mexican citizens will continue to have access to several labour pathways, including the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the International Mobility Program.
“Mexico is an important partner to Canada. We will continue to welcome Mexican temporary workers, students, visitors and immigrants who bring diverse skills and important contributions to our economy and communities,” Miller said in a statement. “We strive for balance between the movement of people between our two great countries, and the need to relieve pressure on our immigration system so we can provide protection to those who need it the most.”
Government aims to boost rural and Francophone minority communities
The Rural Community Immigration and the Francophone Community Immigration pilot projects are the two latest programs designed by the Canadian government to support rural and Francophone minority communities.
The two pilot projects build on the success of the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), which the government says has been successful “in connecting businesses and employers in remote communities with the skilled newcomers they need to thrive.”
“Rural and northern communities face unique economic and demographic challenges. However, through the RNIP, rural communities have been able to attract and retain skilled workers that they’ve needed for years to ensure their economic growth,” Miller said.
“That is why we will make RNIP a permanent program, and why we are introducing these two new pilot programs. We’ll continue to work closely with these communities, as we work to connect businesses with the skilled workers they need to thrive.”
The Rural Community Immigration pilot will offer a pathway to permanent residence for newcomers who can help overcome critical labour job shortages and want to live long-term in these smaller communities, the government said.
Similarly, the Francophone Community Immigration pilot will focus on increasing the number of French-speaking newcomers settling in Francophone minority communities outside of Quebec.
Applications for both programs will open in the spring.
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