On March 14, the Government of Canada introduced changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The changes aim to modernize Canada’s immigration system and shorten the time it takes to immigrate to Canada. They were approved by Parliament on June 18, 2008.
Those who submitted an application before February 27, 2008—the day after the federal budget, of which these changes are a part—will continue to be processed under the old system. But the backlog will stop growing and finally start coming down.
Going forward, anyone will still be able to apply, but CIC will no longer be required to process all new applications submitted on or after February 27, 2008. Applications not processed in a given year can be held for future consideration or returned with a full refund to the applicant, who will be welcome to reapply at another time.
The Minister will have the authority to issue instructions to immigration officers on the processing of applications, including with regard to jobs available in Canada, so that people with those skills and experience can be brought to Canada more quickly. The Minister’s instructions will apply to categories of applicants, not individuals.
It is important to note that our objectives for family reunification and refugee protection will not be affected.
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