Canada has now opened a new PR pathway for accepting applications from Colombian, Haitian, and Venezuelan foreign nationals who are aspiring for permanent residency in Canada.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced this PR pathway on October 10, 2023, and aims to accommodate up to 11,000 individuals with family connections in Canada.
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Eligibility Criteria for New PR Pathway
- Nationality and Residence: Applicants must be nationals of Colombia, Haiti, or Venezuela, currently residing in South or Central America, Mexico, or the Caribbean.
- Family Connection: They must have a family member in Canada who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in Canada. Eligible family members include spouses, common-law partners, children (of any age), grandchildren, parents, grandparents, or siblings.
- Family Support: The Canadian family members must commit to support the applicants and their family members for one year.
Special Support for Eligible Applicants
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) offers several forms of assistance to eligible applicants, including:
- Waiving of the Right to Permanent Residency Fee, application costs, and biometric fees.
- Pre-departure medical care is provided to ensure the health and safety of travelers.
- Three months of financial aid upon arrival to help you settle in Canada.
- Free settlement services before and after arrival to aid in assimilation into Canadian society and the workforce.
Addressing Migration Challenges
More people are crossing Central America illegally, which has caused more problems like smuggling people, making it unsafe, and treating people unfairly.
This new PR pathway is part of Canada’s commitment to welcome 15,000 people from the Western Hemisphere to come to Canada for humanitarian reasons during Joe Biden’s visit to Canada in March 2023. This is meant to help reduce the number of people moving from this part of the world.
For some people who are forced to leave their homes because of problems with politics, society, or money, this new PR pathway to Canada is a better choice than going through Central America illegally.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will keep an eye on how well this new way is working and make changes if needed to make it better.
Application Process
Applicants must apply online through the IRCC portal, with a statutory declaration from their Canadian family member who is either a citizen or permanent resident confirming their support.
Additional Information
For more details on the eligibility criteria, application process, and other aspects of this PR pathway, visit the official Canadian government websites linked below.
Click here for more details on the above program.
Canada’s Immigration Targets
Canada plans to welcome 485,000 new permanent residents in 2024, and 500,000 each in 2025 and 2026, through various immigration programs, including those for skilled workers, family sponsorship, and humanitarian reasons.
