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.
Mark Carney triggers federal election for Canada (Global News)
Newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney has called a snap federal election, set to take place on April 28. Carney sought and had been granted permission from Canada’s Governor General, Mary Simon, to dissolve parliament, just nine days after winning the Liberal party leadership contest to replace Justin Trudeau. After much speculation, an early election has been triggered by the Carney government, in hopes to secure a “strong mandate” from the Canadian public; reinforcing a unified response to strained Canada-US relations and a polarized domestic climate. Across party lines, major issues on the federal ballot include Canada’s economic resilience amid tariff and annexation threats; immigration regulation; housing and affordability; and workforce development.
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What To Expect From New Canada Immigration Minister Rachel Bendayan (Immigration News)
Rachel Bendayan has been sworn in as Canada’s new Immigration. Minister Bendayan has shared that the Carney government will continue to stabilize immigration through tailoring level caps, emphasizing francophone immigration and retention, streamlining international education strategies, mitigating fraud, as well as expanding pathways to permanent residency for individuals already in Canada. In her first interview as Immigration Minister, Bendayan cited the department’s optimism in continuing to attract the “best and brightest” from around the world – including individuals arriving from the United States – when considering Canada’s need to adapt to changing geopolitical circumstances.
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The federal government has announced an investment of $9.3 million in efforts to bolster the integration of francophone immigration across the country. As part of revised immigration levels planning, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada will increase targets for French-speaking permanent residents outside of Quebec; with a goal to boost numbers from 8.5 to 10 percent by 2027. The new funding will go towards supporting 12 new projects that advance economic development and demographic growth within francophone minority communities. Financed through the Francophone Immigration Support Program, monetary allocations aim to strengthen Francophone minority inclusion, facilitate the recruitment and selection of French-speaking applicants, promote the development of pathways to permanent residency, and support research insights and policy recommendations to reduce barriers to Francophone immigration.
Why international students could be a critical factor in bolstering Canada’s economic resilience (The Conversation)
International students continue to play a significant role in supporting Canada’s economic growth. As of 2022, students from abroad contributed nearly 37.3 billion to the economy (GDP), representing nearly 23 percent of Canada’s total service exports and roughly five percent of total merchandise exports. These figures outpace critical industries, including softwood lumber and auto parts. International students support Canada beyond financial contributions; they also are responsible for strengthening Canada’s innovation ecosystem and competitiveness through driving cutting edge research in AI, green STEM, and biotechnology. Additionally, students from abroad function as ambassadors for Canada’s leadership in academic excellence. Recently however, admission caps have challenged Canada’s position as a choice destination for international students as snap policy changes have led to disruptions in access to adequate funding, programs, and services. While the article suggests that stabilization is needed to ensure the integrity of Canada’s international education strategy, building economic resilience should also address systemic skills underdevelopment, foreign credential recognition, and ethical recruitment strategies.
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