Canada expands visa services with new VAC in Portugal
On February 19, 2024, Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced the opening of a new Canada visa application centre (VAC) in Lisbon, Portugal, on February 26, 2024. This expands the IRCC’s VAC network to 163 locations in 110 countries globally. VACs facilitate document submission, secure transmission to IRCC offices, and offer biometric services. The move aims to strengthen ties between Canada and Portugal, providing Portuguese citizens with increased accessibility to visit, study, or work in Canada. The Lisbon VAC eliminates the need for applicants to travel outside Portugal, enhancing cost efficiency and client service. Non-Portuguese citizens in Portugal requiring a Canadian visa can also use the Lisbon VAC. Appointments can be scheduled starting February 12, 2024. Canada and Portugal, celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations in 2022, have a bilateral youth mobility arrangement, allowing youth aged 18 to 35 from both countries to work and travel for up to 24 months. The 2021 Census reports approximately 448,000 people of Portuguese origin living in Canada.
Northwest Territories explore strategies for enhancing Francophone immigration
A recent conference in Yellowknife, organized by the Conseil de développement économique des Territoires du Nord-Ouest (CDÉTNO) and La Communauté francophone accueillante (CFA), focused on creating pathways for Canadian businesses to hire French-speaking workers. Representatives from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Employment and Social Development Canada were present to address inquiries regarding the francophone work permit offered by Ottawa. Francois Afane, the executive director of CDETNO, described the employment of francophone workers as a “win-win” solution, emphasizing its potential to fill job vacancies and enhance diversity in Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories (NWT). The immigration to NWT relies on three streams: the Employer-Driven Stream, the Business Stream, and the Francophone Stream. The Francophone Stream enables qualified bilingual individuals with a job offer in NWT to apply to the Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP). The NTNP operates through a partnership between the Government of the Northwest Territories and IRCC, with the Department of Industry, Tourism, and Investment handling the Business Stream and the Department of Education, Culture, and Employment overseeing the Employer-Driven Streams.
Trends in immigrant retention across Canadian provinces
Statistics Canada’s 2022 Longitudinal Immigration Database reveals trends in immigrant retention rates across Canada. Atlantic provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador) saw rising retention rates, while the prairie provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba experienced declines. Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta displayed the highest five-year retention rates for newcomers who landed in 2016, exceeding 84%, with Ontario leading at 93.1%. Saskatchewan and Manitoba witnessed significant drops in retention rates for those landing between 2012-2016. New Brunswick reached its highest five-year retention rate in the Atlantic provinces at 56%, and PEI reported an increase, though it still has the lowest retention rate at 30.9%. Newfoundland and Labrador’s one-year retention rate rose from 55% in 2016 to 66.4% in 2020. While most newcomers settle in larger provinces due to established immigrant communities, rural regions may struggle to maintain a robust labour force.
