Supporting Canada’s COVID-19 resilience and recovery through robust immigration policy and programs

Abstract

Canada has been seen globally as a leader in immigration and integration policies and programs and as an attractive and welcoming country for immigrants, refugees, temporary foreign workers, and international students. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed some of the strengths of Canada’s immigration system, as well as some of the fault lines that have been developing over the last few years. In this article we provide an overview of Canada’s immigration system prior to the pandemic, discuss the system’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities revealed by the pandemic, and explore a post-COVID-19 immigration vision. Over the next three years, the Government of Canada intends to bring over 1.2 million new permanent residents to Canada. In addition, Canada will continue to accept many international students, refugee claimants, and temporary foreign workers for temporary residence here. The importance of immigration for Canada will continue to grow and be an integral component of the country’s post-COVID-19 recovery. To succeed, it is essential to take stock, to re-evaluate Canada’s immigration and integration policies and programs, and to expand Canada’s global leadership in this area. The authors offer insights and over 80 recommendations to reinvigorate and optimize Canada’s immigration program over the next decade and beyond.

Balancing Resettlement, Protection and Rapport on the Frontline: Delivering the Resettlement Assistance Program during COVID-19

“…In the following analysis, I illustrate how COVID-19 quarantine and education policies often failed to consider the intersectionality of GARs' experiences, and I discuss the challenges this posed to SPOs such as CRCFIRC. By reading RAP responses and COVID-19 related policies intersectionally, I aim to contribute to the growing literature on COVID-19's impact on refugees (Christie and Ballot, 2020;Dempster et al, 2020;Esses et al, 2021;Flood et al, 2020;Hoagland and Randrianarisoa, 2021;Lang, 2020;Selmeczki and Ghaly, 2020;Shields and Abu Alrob, 2020). I also seek to add to the policy lessons that could improve responses to future waves.…”

Refuge Vol. 38 no. 1 (2022) - Special Issue: Refuge in the Time of Pandemic (print copy)

“…In the following analysis, I illustrate how COVID-19 quarantine and education policies often failed to consider the intersectionality of GARs' experiences, and I discuss the challenges this posed to SPOs such as CRCFIRC. By reading RAP responses and COVID-19 related policies intersectionally, I aim to contribute to the growing literature on COVID-19's impact on refugees (Christie and Ballot, 2020;Esses et al, 2021;Flood et al, 2020;Hoagland and Randrianarisoa, 2021;Lang, 2020;Selmeczki and Ghaly, 2020;Shields and Abu Alrob, 2020). I also seek to add to the policy lessons that could improve responses to future waves.…”

New Canadians Working amid a New Normal: Recent Immigrant Wage Penalties in Canada during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Immigrant workers are expected to play an important strategic role in Canada’s economic recovery after COVID-19 ( Victoria et al 2021 ). However, the pandemic has exposed and potentially exacerbated the difficulties that immigrants have long faced in the labour market.…”