Canada to allow more relatives in
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Friday, 09 November 2007

By Gerald V. Paul The Caribbean community will be among those to benefit as Canada will accept 71,000 immigrants in the family class come 2008, according to the immigration department's newly released annual report. This will comprise of spouses, partners, dependents, parents and grandparents of immigrants already here. According to some members of the community, this is a calculated political marketing move of the Conservative government to get votes. But in a surprise move, the government will allow fewer skilled immigrants to settle in Canada in 2008, despite an economy that is giving the US a run for their money and some regions in the country pleading for workers. The number of skilled workers will drop from 158,000 this year to 154,000 in 2008. Also the report revealed a backlog of immigration applications of more than 850,000. In 2006, the 138,257 economic-class immigrants made up 54.9 per cent - or 70,506 immigrants- were in the family class; 32,492 refugees and asylum seekers were admitted; and 10,223 were granted permanent resident status on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. Meanwhile Ottawa said it is helping meet the labour needs by boosting the number of foreign permits. And a new programme know as the Canadian Experience Class will allow temporary workers as well as international students studying here to become permanent residents. This new class will give some 12,000 people permanent status by 2008.