Canada on Wednesday said it has opened gate for immigrants with pending approvals.
The Government of the state through its Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IROC) explained that “Starting June 21, 2021, any foreign national who holds a valid Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) may travel to Canada.”
It said that the decision deemed it fit in order to addressing Canada’s longstanding demographic challenges and labour market shortages and to ensure Canada’s post-pandemic economic recovery.
Canada had said that foreign nationals who held a valid COPR issued on or before March 18, 2020, were exempt from Canada’s travel restrictions.
It had also said that those who held a valid COPR issued after March 18, 2020, could only come to Canada if they met another exemption or were coming from the US to settle permanently in Canada.
In a statement on the country’s Immigration site on Monday, it noted that many applicants who were not able to travel to Canada before their COPRs expired due to the travel restrictions or other COVID-19 related considerations should await information on the IRCC’s website on how to obtain a new COPR as the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been working to find a solution to that.
It warned that individuals whose COPR has expired should not book flights or attempt to travel to Canada until they receive a new COPR from IRCC.
The statement read further, “The Government of Canada’s top priority is the health and safety of Canadians. All people travelling to Canada, including those approved for permanent residence, must comply with the COVID-19 health measures and requirements upon arriving in Canada. All travellers must follow the flying to Canada requirements checklist or driving to Canada requirements checklist.
“The changes to the travel restrictions complement the temporary pathway to permanent residence for those already hard at work in Canada, to ensure we continue to have the labour force needed for our economic recovery.
“While permanent residence applicants in Canada will help bolster our more immediate labour market needs, successful applicants abroad need time to make arrangements and uproot their life before coming to settle in Canada, particularly in our current environment where many may not feel safe to travel right now. By allowing more time for reasonable numbers of new immigrants to settle in Canada and begin their integration, we can better prepare for Canada’s economic future.
“Permanent residents are also likely to have supports in place once they arrive here—family members, supportive employers and resettlement agencies for refugees—and the means to ensure they comply with public health measures.”
