How they plan to do this within the existing approaches, I don't really understand, given the fact that obtaining a visa to Canada at the moment is not the easiest procedure, much more difficult than obtaining entry visas to most other countries. It is also worth recalling the recent scandals related to the introduction of visa requirements for citizens of the Czech Republic and Mexico, and the spoiled relations with the United Arab Emirates, as a result of which Canadian citizens are now forced to obtain visas to enter that country.
As I see the situation, until Canada develops an effective mechanism for deporting illegal immigrants and simplifies the process of reviewing and rejecting those who apply for refugee status, it is difficult to expect that the situation with obtaining visas for tourists will significantly improve.
Leaving the system as is, the Conservatives within its framework could do what they do well – tighten requirements for those undergoing immigration and strengthen enforcement of laws. For example, currently there is talk of tightening requirements for proficiency in Canada's official languages both for immigrants and for those applying for citizenship.
For example, it is proposed that those applying for citizenship take an exam on knowledge of one of Canada's official languages. Language requirements will also be tightened for those undergoing immigration. In particular, it is possible that the new rules for the Entrepreneur immigration program will include a requirement to pass an exam on knowledge of one of Canada's official languages at a certain level.
There is a lot of sense in all these initiatives, since one of the main reasons why some immigrants poorly adapt to Canadian society and cannot find a good job is their weak command of English (or French, if we are talking about the province of Quebec).
Other government initiatives that can be called absolutely correct are control over the periods of stay in Canada with permanent resident status. It is no secret that some immigrants get permanent resident status in Canada only to then obtain Canadian citizenship, which gives them a passport that allows them to travel without visas to many countries of the world, but they do not intend to live in Canada.
Many of these people, having obtained permanent resident status in Canada, leave the country, but do not report it to immigration authorities. At the same time, they use the services of unscrupulous companies that help them create the appearance of being in Canada. When three years have passed since obtaining permanent resident status, these immigrants apply for citizenship, submitting false information that they have been in Canada all this time.
The Canadian government has taken this problem seriously, and measures have been developed to monitor the presence of immigrants in the country. Moreover, a large-scale check is being conducted of persons who have already obtained citizenship but are suspected of having obtained it by fraud (i.e., by providing false information about their period of stay in Canada).
Not long ago, the press reported on almost two thousand cases where the investigation has been completed and which have been referred to court. According to the article, all these individuals, if found guilty by the court, will be stripped of citizenship and deported from Canada. Moreover, as stated by a representative of Canada's Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, this is only the beginning of the verification process.
Another example of tightening control is that measures are being prepared to oblige persons who immigrated through provincial programs to live and work for a certain time in the province under whose program they immigrated. Finally, measures are also being discussed to prevent the practice of sham marriages.
Apparently, in the near future, persons sponsored by a husband or wife will be able to obtain permanent resident status only after two years after entering Canada and living on its territory (currently they receive this status immediately after receiving a positive decision on their case and entering Canada on immigration visas).
In summary, I can say that for me it all looks like the government currently has no clear understanding of why immigration is needed, and whether it is needed at all. Accordingly, this results in the absence of any coherent strategy in this area. And the strange pause in the work of embassies, which has already dragged on considerably, may indicate that there is a reflection on the direction in which the country's immigration policy should develop.
Therefore, I admit that the government's silence on immigration issues may mean that some comprehensive program is being prepared, which may be announced soon. At least, I am inclined to expect that at the end of this year or the beginning of next, we should expect loud statements from Canada's Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.
Elena Ryabinina.
«Russian Toronto»