The Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration met today to discuss how to achieve shared priorities and the Future of the Immigration System.
The Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI) has met again for its midterm meeting today in Halifax.
The meetings take place twice per year, and last occurred in Saint John, New Brunswick, on July 28.
The federal, provincial, and territory ministers in charge of immigration make up the FMRI. The meetings serve as a forum for the two tiers of government to discuss the most pressing immigration issues facing Canada.
In their most recent meeting, the ministers discussed ways to increase the immigration system’s efficiency in order to suit regional and economic demands, notably by involving more provinces and territories (PT) in the selection procedure. The future of the Immigration System is the main point.
They also wanted to boost the allocations for the Provincial Nominee Programme (PNP) and add greater input to the modernization of Express Entry. The provinces also sought to deliver multiyear allocations on time by March 31st, 2023.
The ministers discussed how Canada supports immigration positively in today’s meeting and how they have been able to advance the goals set forward last summer.
Atlantic Immigration Program Plan and the Multi-Year Provincial Nominee Program
The first-ever new multi-year Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) strategy has received the ministers’ support, which is noteworthy. The provinces and territories will benefit more from this approach if they specify their immigration admissions and settling procedures in advance. The provinces and territories are in the best position to choose economic immigrants, according to Arlene Dunn, the minister in charge of immigration in New Brunswick. In order to better serve clients and meet their needs, Minister Dunn indicated that expanding the PNP, AIP, and Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot will assist lower the IRCC backlog and improve processing times. For 2023, the strategy calls for a 44% increase in PNP allocations.
The ministers added that reducing systemic duplication, which adds to the backlog, will be made possible by accelerating processing times. They highlighted the growing difficulty for incoming immigrants in locating affordable accommodation as well as the existing strain on settlement services countrywide.
By working more closely together and with other stakeholders including labour ministers, employers, and chambers of commerce, the ministers hope to improve the process of getting an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) or foreign credential recognition. They emphasised several crucial aspects, such as the selection process, comprehending the intricate regulatory environment, and improving the standard of FCR pre-arrival information sharing. To pursue their vocation to the fullest extent, newcomers must first swiftly obtain certificate recognition.
Minister Dunn said “Partnership, collaboration, and a shared vision for enhancing Canada’s immigration policies and programs are at the centre of how federal, provincial, and territorial governments navigate the everchanging immigration landscape,” further stating “Partnership, collaboration, and a shared vision for enhancing Canada’s immigration policies and programs are at the centre of how federal, provincial, and territorial governments navigate the everchanging immigration landscape,”
Shared jurisdiction over immigration
Immigration has been a shared responsibility of the provincial and federal governments since Canada’s founding in 1867. The promotion of immigration across Canada is the primary goal of these seminars. Future of the Immigration System was a major point .
The Provincial Nominee Program is among this shared responsibility’s key elements (PNP). With the exception of Quebec and Nunavut, every province runs its own PNP via which applicants for permanent residency (PR) can express a preference for living and working there. Québec has its own system for managing immigration.
The province government may award the candidate a provincial nomination if they think they can support the provincial economy and the labour market with ease. Although being nominated doesn’t guarantee that an applicant will be granted permanent residency, it can help their candidature.
Ultimately, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has the final say in how many candidates are invited to apply for PR under a PNP. Each year under the Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC outlines the national PNP admissions target. It then communicates individual PNP targets to each province and territory a few months later.
Due to labour shortages and a desire to have more control over the economic immigrants who settle and their capacity to close their labour force gaps, PT ministers argued for bigger allocations at the meeting last summer.
The Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025 shows that PNP admissions will continue to outpace federal high skilled (Express Entry) admissions into 2025.
Provinces and territories hold immigration draws routinely. This week, British Columbia, Ontario, and Manitoba have held PNP draws, while Quebec held a draw under its own system.
