Vision 2020 Immigration Levels Plan 2018-2020 july 2017
Contents About CISSA-ACSEI................................................................................... 4 Introduction......................................................................................... 5 Overview................................................................................................ 6 Economic Class...................................................................................... 7 Family Class............................................................................................ 8 Humanitarian Class............................................................................... 9 Looking Ahead...2020 Landing Projections............................................11 Conclusion...........................................................................................12 VISION 2020 3
About CISSA-ACSEI The Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Alliance Alliance canadienne du secteur de l établissement des immigrants (CISSA-ACSEI) is the immigrant settlement sector s pan-canadian voice. CISSA-ACSEI membership consists of provincial and regional umbrella associations that represent immigrant and refugee serving agencies. Current membership includes: n Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC (AMSSA) n Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (AAISA) n Saskatchewan Association of Immigrant Settlement and Integration Agencies (SAISIA) n Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Organizations (MANSO) n Atlantic Region Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (ARAISA) n Multicultural Centre of the Yukon (MC Yukon) Vision: n A Canadian Society in which all immigrants and refugees are able to participate fully. Mission: n CISSA-ACSEI represents the issues and expertise of the immigrant settlement sector to advance public policies and programs that enhance the settlement and integration of immigrants and refugees to Canada. Tasks: CISSA-ACSEI s mission is driven by the following main tasks: n To undertake initiatives to enhance the capacity of the immigrant settlement sector to support the integration and active participation of immigrants to Canada; n To conduct research and special projects for immigrant settlement policy and program development and improvement; n To develop mechanisms for internal (within the sector) and external (between the sector and various partners) communication/consultations on a national basis on key sector issues. n To advocate for and increase public awareness about the importance of immigration and immigrant settlement supports; and, n To engage government in different ways to enhance the settlement outcomes of immigrants. 4 VISION 2020
Introduction Nothing will impact this country, whether it is the national economy, our public institutions, or rural and urban centres, more than immigration will over the next few years. However, the challenges and opportunities that immigration provides to this country necessitate a much broader public consultation than one focused on annual levels planning. We strongly believe that we should be moving beyond annual level plans to multi-year immigration level plans. As a result, as part of the minister s consultation on the 2018 levels plan, CISSA-ACSEI offers Vision 2020 for consideration. CISSA-ACSEI Vision 2020 is a bold, three (3) year plan that addresses the growing demographic shifts currently underway in Canada and the need for increased economic immigration. CISSA- ACSEI also recognizes the need for an increased target of 21,500 within the family class between 2017 and 2020. Lastly, CISSA-ACSEI Vision 2020 builds upon our global leadership role in supporting the need for increased refugee resettlement spaces. VISION 2020 5
Overview CISSA-ACSEI Vision 2020 outlines immigration level increases of fifty thousand (50,000) annually over the next three years (3 years) 2018-2020, as highlighted below: n 350,000 in 2018; n 400,000 in 2019; and, n 450,000 by 2020. The following bar graph provides a visual overview of our three year vision starting with current projection and baseline target for 2017. Three years at a Glance 500,000 450,000 400,000 300,000 200,000 100,000 300,000 28% 84,000 57.5% 172,500 14.5% 43,500 350,000 18% 62,000 27% 95,000 55% 193,000 400,000 16% 64,000 25% 101,000 59% 235,000 14% 64,000 23% 105,500 62% 280,500 0 2017 2018 2019 2020 Humanitarian Class Family Economic Class We offer further insights into our proposed targets for the economic, family and humanitarian classes: 6 VISION 2020
Economic Class Economic Class 300,000 280,500 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 172,500 17% 29,300 30% 51,000 43% 73,700 500 10% 18,000 193,000 17% 32,000 60,500 41% 80,000 500 10% 235,000 15% 35,000 29% 67,500 47% 110,000 500 9% 22,000 14% 38,000 27% 72,000 52% 145,000 500 9% 25,000 0 2017 2018 2019 2020 Federal Economic Federal Caregivers Federal Business Provincial Nominee Program Quebec Skilled Workers and Business Within the economic classes, we have attempted to address the increased demand for skilled workers in response, for example, to the Advisory Council on Economic Growth report. We have also suggested higher Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) targets taking into consideration Provincial-Territorial government interest in this category to better manage selection needs that address local and regional economic situations. Over a three year (3 year) period, the economic class would grow from fifty-seven and a half (57.5%) planned for 2017 to sixty-two (62%) of all immigration to Canada in 2020. The largest growth area would see a doubling of the Federal Economic category from 73,700 in 2017 to 145,500 annually in 2020. VISION 2020 7
Family Class Family Class 1 100,000 80,000 84,000 24% 95,000 28% 27,000 101,000 29% 29,000 105,500 29% 30,500 60,000 40,000 76% 64,000 72% 68,000 71% 72,000 71% 75,000 0 2017 2018 2019 2020 Spouses, Partners and Children Parents and Grandparents Within the Family classes, the overall percentage would drop from twenty eight percent (28%) in 2017 to twenty-three percent (23%) in 2020. However, on a numerical basis, Spouses, Partners and Children would rise from 64,000 in 2017 to 75,000 annually in 2020 while Parents and Grandparents would grow from in 2017 to 30,500 annually in 2020. CISSA-ACSEI s proposed family class target should also be considered in conjunction with a suggestion to continue the super visa program for parents and grandparents. 8 VISION 2020
Humanitarian Class Humanitarian Class 80000 70000 62,000 6% 3,500 5% 64,000 3,500 64,000 5% 3,500 60000 50000 43,500 8% 3,500 29% 18,000 1% 750 1% 750 1% 750 40000 30000 37% 16,000 3% 1,500 32% 20000 10000 17% 7,500 34% 15,000 32% 19,750 19,750 19,750 0 2017 2018 2019 2020 Protected Persons in Canada and Dependents Abroad Humanitarian and Compassionate and Other Resettled Refugees Privately Sponsored Blended Visa Office-Referred Government-Assisted The proposed three year (3 year) baseline plan for refugees and protected persons takes into consideration the current government assisted refugee (GAR) and privately sponsored refugee (PSR) capacity arising from wide public support and infrastructure enhancements across Canada originating from Operation Syrian Refugee. In addition, our recommendations consider the growing world refugee crisis and subsequently, the UNHCR call for increased resettlement spaces. In 2016 Canada welcomed 23,615 GARs before the baseline target dropped to 8,000 in 2017. We are proposing a new annual multi-year GAR baseline target of starting in 2018 with arrivals spread out over the year. Besides proposing a new annual baseline of GARs, we also feel that some policy adjustments need to be made. Following the CISSA-ACSEI position paper (February 2017) outlining twenty (20) recommendations to reform the resettlement assistance program, we would like to highlight a couple of points. When selecting GARs for resettlement to Canada, IRCC should ensure that all extended family members (eg brothers, sisters, parents, uncles, aunts, etc) are processed for resettlement to Canada concurrently. This approach is not new and was used with the Bhutanese refugee resettlement movement to Canada, as well as with the Yazidis. With a proposed increase to GARs VISION 2020 9
annually, CISSA-ACSEI would like to explore with IRCC the concept of not only offering increased protection and resettlement spaces under the humanitarian class but also considering ways to resettle refugees with specific skills, training and language abilities through the economic class. For example, create a convention refugee stream under the provincial nominee program (PNP) for refugees who have family members in a province but also have skills that are needed in that specific province. In 2016, 18,640 privately sponsored refugees (PSRs) landed in Canada. With the continued public interest and current backlog we are suggesting that the PSR target be set at 18,000 for 2018 and thereafter be set at annually for 2019 and 2020. The current lengthy PSR processing time is unacceptable, and at the same time, is creating unnecessarily long separation for refugee family reunification cases. We have kept the blended visa office-referred case (BVOR) target at 750 spaces annually. Total refugees and protected person class would drop to fourteen (14%) percent of overall immigration annually in 2020 after peaking at eighteen (18%) percent in 2018. However, on a numerical basis the humanitarian class is proposed to increase from 43,500 in 2017 to 64,000 in 2017. 10 VISION 2020
Looking Ahead... 2020 Landing Projections For planning purposes, we also provide a 2020 projection of where 450,000 Permanent Residents (PRs) would land across Canada based on the PR landings and the percentage of total landings that settled in each province and territory in 2016. 2020 Permanent Resident Landing Projections (% and Numbers) Yukon 315 British Columbia 13% 57,600 Northwest Territories 270 Alberta 17% 74,700 Saskatchewan 5% 22,500 Nunavut 90 Manitoba 6% 25,650 Ontario 37% 166,500 Quebec 18% 81,000 Prince Edward Island 1% 3,510 Nova Scotia 2% 8,325 Newfoundland & Labrador 1,800 New Brunswick 2% 7,200 VISION 2020 11
Conclusion CISSA-ACSEI Vision 2020 offers a three year immigration level plan in response to IRCC Minister Hussen s national consultation on 2018 levels. We strongly believe that it is time to introduce multi-year immigration level plans. Whether it is Canada s overseas partners such as the UNHCR, members of local immigration partnership tables (LIPs), municipal governments, school boards or regional health authorities, our membership continues to hear the value and importance of multiyear immigration level plans. Based on our vantage point of working directly with immigrants and refugee newcomers and local communities across Canada, we offer our insights and suggestions on immigration levels for IRCC consideration. For more information, contact CISSA-ACSEI c/o 205-2929 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC V5N 4C8 cissa-acsei.org For media enquiries: Chris Friesen 778-995-3009 12 VISION 2020