Canada introduces liberal immigration policy that allows foreign students to bring in their families

CANADA'S government has announced the introduction a new immigration policy aimed at speeding up the approval of family reunification applications in stark contrast to moves by the UK to restrict the entry of foreign students' families.

Last week, the UK announced Draconian immigration restrictions aimed at restricting the families of foreign students coming to join them. To come into effect in January 2024, these new laws are part of the plans of the Conservative government of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to bring immigration, which currently stands at around 1m, down.

Under the new rules, the UK will also remove the permission for international students to switch out of the student route and into work routes before their studies have been completed to prevent misuse of the visa system. Furthermore, in addition, there will be a review of the maintenance requirement for students and dependents and a crackdown on those the government calls unscrupulous education agents, who make use of inappropriate applications to sell immigration, not education.

Barely a week after the UK restrictions were announced, Canadian immigration minister, Sean Fraser explained that the new measures were put in place by Ottawa to strengthen family reunification in Canada. This Canadian new system will enable spouses, children and parents of recent immigrants to join their loved ones in Canada faster.

Mr Fraser noted that the new policy uses advanced analytics and technology to process Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) applications for family members of permanent residents and citizens in 30 days. He added that the method had accepted far in advance 98% of TRV applications from spouses and their children.

He also announced a new programme that will grant open work permits to spouse applicants and their dependent children, regardless of whether they applied under the family class as an overseas applicant or as an applicant for a spouse or common-law partner in Canada. This is in stark contrast to the British policy under which only a small percentage of international students will be permitted to bring their partners or children with them as from January next year.