Canada has unveiled new measures to simplify the process of bringing families to the country for permanent residents. These measures also aim to address labor shortages caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. On Friday, Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced several changes to achieve these goals.
The measures include faster processing times for temporary resident visas (TRV) for spousal applicants and the implementation of dedicated processing tools for spousal TRV applications. Additionally, a new open work permit will be available for spousal and family class applicants, allowing them to work in Canada. Furthermore, open work permit holders with permits expiring between August 1 and the end of 2023 will be able to extend their permits for an additional 18 months. This extension also applies to spousal applicants and those with expiring post-graduation work permits.
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) stated that most applications will now be processed within 30 days, with tailored processing measures for spouses and dependents. These new tools have already resulted in a 93% approval rate for a cohort of applicants.
Canada aims to improve client services and expedite application processing. In 2022, over 5.2 million applications were finalized by the IRCC, providing decisions to millions of individuals.
It is important to note that not all foreign nationals will be eligible for an open work permit extension under this expedited processing. The extension primarily applies to permanent residence applicants awaiting a decision, spouses of family class-sponsored individuals with valid temporary resident status, spouses and partners of most work permit holders, and spouses and partners of study permit holders.
In 2022, Canada issued more than 1,075,000 work permits and extensions, demonstrating its commitment to addressing labor shortages and facilitating family reunification.