WES Weekly Roundup May 29, 2024

_{World Education Services (WES) is a non-profit social enterprise dedicated to helping international students, immigrants, and refugees achieve their educational and career goals in the United States and Canada. The weekly roundup includes research, stories, and events of interest to the Canadian immigration and settlement community. This content has been created by WES and is reproduced here with their permission, in partnership.}

In Between Belonging: Immigrant Perspectives on Becoming a Canadian Citizen (ICC)

The decline in naturalization rates among immigrants in Canada mirrors a global trend observed in economically and socially comparable immigrant-receiving nations. A survey conducted in May 2023, involving 4,179 verified new Canadian citizens and permanent residents (PRs), revealed that a significant proportion of highly educated PRs are hesitant to pursue Canadian citizenship. Of those uncertain about applying for citizenship, a majority held graduate degrees and were employed or self-employed. The allure of a Canadian passport, offering travel benefits, stability, and freedom from deportation, emerged as a primary motivation for seeking citizenship, rather than a deep sense of connection to Canada. Many immigrants, especially those who arrived through economic immigration streams, encountered challenges in integrating into Canadian society due to discrepancies across institutions and unmet expectations upon arrival. Despite a desire to contribute to Canada's culture and development, inadequate support systems hindered their commitment. To address these issues, recommendations include setting a clear naturalization target, enhancing the visibility and inclusivity of citizenship ceremonies, investing in programs promoting citizenship, and prioritizing immigrant satisfaction and retention as key objectives for Canada's immigration policy. 

Immigration Minister tables bill to extend citizenship rights to children born abroad (Toronto Star)

Immigration Minister Marc Miller has introduced Bill C-71, aimed at restoring citizenship rights to "lost Canadians." This bill allows Canadians born abroad to pass on their citizenship to their children born outside of Canada. The bill reverses a 2009 policy by the Harper government that limited citizenship by descent to the first generation born abroad, which affected many Canadians living overseas. The bill also addresses a ruling by Ontario's Superior Court of Justice, which deemed the previous law unconstitutional. Supported by the NDP and Green Party, the bill extends citizenship rights to children born abroad if their Canadian parent has lived in Canada for at least 1,095 days, including adopted children. It also confers citizenship retroactively to those born outside Canada if their parent was a citizen, regardless of the parent’s residency in Canada.

To read further:

• Canada to extend citizenship to children born abroad, restoring rights of ‘lost Canadians’ (Globe & Mail)

Canadian governments urgently need to collaborate to support refugee students (The Conversation)

Global migration crises have led to many displaced individuals worldwide, as recent data indicate that nearly 117 million people are facing displacement, with less than one percent resettled. Although Canada remains a global leader in resettlement efforts, refugee youth arriving to Canada may face significant challenges along their resettlement journey, primarily when continuing their education. Many displaced persons are forced to confront gaps in their education due to conflict in their previous countries and complications in accessing necessary documentation to apply to academic programming. While support for education and employment integration lies within provincial jurisdiction, concerns remain whether provinces across the country are ill-prepared to support the academic needs of refugees. Failure to adequately facilitate the success of newcomers has implications at the national level. As a protected human right, advocates are calling for collaboration amongst relevant stakeholders to enable access to education for all residents in Canada, including refugee youth hoping to pursue education. Of proposed solutions, a tri-ministerial committee, convened by actors in immigration, education, and employment, will facilitate a coordinated approach to discussion, planning, and implementing essential programming.