Prime Minister Mark Carney says thousands of Ukrainian refugees, Hong Kong migrants and long-term foreign workers will be allowed to become permanent residents under a federal immigration plan covering 200,000 people already living in Canada.Blacklock's Reporter says the Liberal government's latest budget includes the special immigration measure, which Carney defended as necessary to recognize foreign nationals who have spent years working and living in Canadian communities.However, the government has not clarified whether the program will include undocumented migrants or foreign nationals facing deportation after their temporary permits expired.“These are people who are not permanent in terms of the classifications but are effectively permanent residents and we are recognizing that,” Carney told reporters.“It’s the right thing to do. We are absolutely clear about that, and it is within the context of a sustainable immigration system.”Asked whether granting permanent status to another 200,000 people was consistent with Ottawa's immigration targets, Carney insisted the measure was sustainable.“Yes, we believe it is in line with sustainable immigration,” he said.Carney said approximately half the people covered by the initiative are temporary foreign workers who have been employed by the same businesses for years.“These are people who have been temporary workers in the same firms, in the same communities, for years,” he said.“Every year the firm goes through the process and paperwork of renewing the temporary permits.”Carney argued the workers have already established permanent ties to Canada despite their temporary immigration classifications.“They are members of the community, as I say, and they are in all respects permanent residents of the country and we are formalizing that,” he said.The remaining applicants would largely consist of people who arrived from Ukraine and Hong Kong under special immigration arrangements.“The other class of these people – and it’s about 50-50, the divide between the two – are again long-term over many, multiple years, people who have come to us from Ukraine and Hong Kong,” Carney said.“There are many examples here.”.The Prime Minister did not provide a detailed breakdown of how the 200,000 permanent residency places would be distributed among the groups.Federal immigration records indicate approximately 308,000 Ukrainian war refugees were living in Canada, according to an April 9 briefing note from the Department of Immigration.Temporary permits issued to Ukrainians fleeing Russia's invasion are scheduled to expire March 31, 2027.The federal government originally described the Ukrainian immigration measures as temporary protection for people escaping the war.“Canada remains committed to supporting Ukrainians and their family members by providing a temporary safe haven as the war in Ukraine continues while recognizing many will eventually return home when it is safe to do so,” the department stated in a briefing note titled Ukraine-CUAET Measures And Permanent Resident Family Based Pathway.The new permanent residency initiative comes as Ottawa faces questions about the number of foreign nationals remaining in Canada after their immigration documents expire.A federal briefing note dated April 24, 2024, acknowledged the government did not have reliable figures on the country's undocumented immigrant population.“There are no accurate figures representing the number or composition of undocumented immigrants residing in Canada,” said the document, titled Undocumented Migrants.“Estimates suggest the population could be as high as 500,000.”The estimate does not establish how many people entered Canada legally before overstaying their permits or how many entered without authorization.The Liberal government has previously introduced special programs allowing certain undocumented foreign nationals to obtain permanent residency.In 2021, approximately 9,100 people working in health care during the COVID-19 pandemic received permanent resident status through a special measure known as the Guardian Angels program.Eligible occupations included nurses, nursing aides, orderlies, patient service associates and certain home support workers providing direct patient care.The immigration department said the program recognized foreign nationals who worked in Canadian health-care facilities during the pandemic.Carney's latest proposal would cover a substantially larger group, although the government has not released detailed eligibility requirements.It remains unclear whether applicants must hold valid temporary permits, whether those with expired immigration status will qualify or how the government intends to select the 200,000 people eligible for permanent residency.The Prime Minister maintains the initiative will recognize people already contributing to Canadian communities while remaining consistent with Ottawa's broader immigration plans.
