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.
Court grants Ottawa four more months to fix unconstitutional 'lost Canadians' law (CBC)
A court granted the federal government an extension until December 19, 2024, to amend the unconstitutional citizenship law affecting "lost Canadians." This law prevents Canadians born abroad from passing on their citizenship to children also born abroad. Bill C-71 aims to address these issues and is expected to become law by the new deadline. Justice Jasmine Akbarali noted the government had made adequate provisions for urgent hardship cases. Previously, the government missed a June 20, 2024, deadline and was given a short extension to August 9, 2024, before receiving this second extension. Sujit Choudhry, representing affected families, estimates 1.48 million Canadians are impacted. The current law's violations could lead to children being stateless and families separated. Until Bill C-71 passes, citizenship can be granted at the Immigration Minister's discretion.
Bridging the Gap between the Gig Economy and Migration Policy (MPI)
Technological advancements have significantly expanded the gig economy, offering flexibility and lower entry barriers, particularly benefiting immigrants with language barriers or unrecognized credentials. During COVID-19, the gig economy became a lifeline for many migrants who lost traditional jobs, but it also revealed gaps in social protections and emergency benefits. Traditional labour and immigration policies often exclude gig workers due to their reliance on employer-employee relationships, hindering migrants' long-term integration and mobility. Policymakers need to adapt immigration systems to accommodate nontraditional work and improve data collection on gig work and migrant participation. Incorporating digital platforms into work policies, supporting migrant education and credentialing, and innovating social protections for gig workers while maintaining job flexibility are essential steps. A coordinated policy approach can ensure the gig economy benefits both migrants and the broader economy while safeguarding workers' rights.
Ottawa considers changes to reduce number of temporary foreign workers in Canada (CTV)
The federal government is considering new regulations for Canada’s temporary foreign workers that could reduce the number of employers who are eligible to hire workers from abroad. As a response to what many have long considered a strategy to circumvent hiring Canadian workers, Employment and Social Development Canada says new measures will mitigate potential fraud within the program. Under the new scheme, the government will assess how long a business has been in operation, its employment history, and will be increasing oversight to consider risks. Many businesses relied heavily on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) to address short-term labour shortages and bounce back from the financial aftermath of the pandemic. Economists have long warned about the challenges associated with prolonged reliance on the TFWP, including pushing workers into lower-skilled and lower-wage positions, stunted wage growth, limited access to rights for workers, increased red tape for businesses, and a lack of incentive for industries to invest in productivity-enhancing technology. Currently, temporary residents make up 6.8 percent of the population. In order to restore and safeguard the integrity of Canada’s immigration system, a strategy will need to focus on multi-year, multipartisan, and cross-jurisdictional coordination.
What Does Integration Mean in a Multicultural Country like Canada? (MPI)
Canada continues to experience high rates of population growth driven by immigration, where residents born abroad make up roughly 23 percent of the population (2021). By 2041, nearly 34 percent for the population will comprise of immigrants. Recently, immigration levels have garnered skepticism as Canada navigates strained social goods and services, prompting policy measures to cap temporary migration. As the Canadian population diversifies, researchers are exploring shifting trends in social integration. Data indicates that traditional methods to assimilation and integration such as settlement in ethnic enclaves are on the decline with newcomers currently spreading into larger urban centres and rural communities across Canada. Integration historically signalled a minority group’s merging into a majority population. Where the standard for assimilation and integration was enmeshment into the “mainstream” cultural identity, Canada’s present immigration story reflects a new standard of “integration into diversity”. Canada’s multiculturalism, fueled largely by immigration, is only increasing. Experts are suggesting that norms of integration may not be as prevalent, where newcomers are finding their place in Canadian society by not only adhering to current cultural values but forging their own - with others who have done the same.
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