Shaping the future of immigration through Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy

In recent years, the Indo-Pacific region has accounted for nearly two thirds of the international students Canada welcomes. (File Photo: Steven Binotto/Unsplash)

November 30, 2022—Ottawa—Canada’s relationship with the Indo-Pacific region has been forged through generations of deep person-to-person connections.

As a major source of newcomers to Canada and the fastest growing economic region in the world, the Indo-Pacific will continue to play a vital role in Canada’s immigration strategy.

As part of the Indo-Pacific Strategy, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced how investments in our immigration system will allow Canada to grow and prosper. An investment of $74.6 million over 5 years, and $15.7 million ongoing, will boost our application processing capacity both domestically and in the Indo-Pacific region—including New Delhi, Chandigarh, Islamabad and Manila. These new resources will bolster ongoing efforts to process the high volume of visa applications from the region, contribute to improved processing times, and support people-to-people ties, all with the goal of bringing more people to Canada—whether to visit, study, work or immigrate permanently—and doing it faster.

What’s more, international students make immense social and economic contributions to Canada. In recent years, the Indo-Pacific region has accounted for nearly two thirds of the international students Canada welcomes. Thousands of those students transition to permanent residence in Canada each year, while thousands more return home after completing their education, taking with them a personal connection to Canada. Funding received through the Indo-Pacific Strategy will help strengthen Canada’s International Student Program and promote greater diversity in the region among those looking to study here. By giving them access to permanent residence and job opportunities that could lead to staying in Canada, these investments will attract students, who frequently become the highly skilled workers Canada needs to meet the challenges of our economy today and tomorrow.

The Government of Canada recognizes the significant and profound role the Indo-Pacific region will play in our future. By investing in our immigration system and building a strong mutual partnership with the Indo-Pacific, we demonstrate Canada’s commitment to long-term prosperity for both regions.

Quotes:

“The Indo-Pacific region is vital for Canada’s immigration and will continue to be in the future. Today’s announcement brings significant new funding to help boost Canada’s visa application processing capacity at home and abroad. As we look to record growth in admissions in the years ahead, this funding will help promote greater diversity among those looking to visit, study, work or live in Canada.”
– The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

“The future of the Indo-Pacific region is our future, and Canada has a role in shaping it. We are investing to promote peace and security throughout the region, create trade opportunities, connect people, strengthen international assistance and protect human rights, answering the call for expanded and deeper engagement in this region. We have put forward a truly Canadian strategy, one that involves every facet of our society and positions Canada as a reliable partner now and for generations to come.”
– The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Quick facts:

· The Government of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy is led by Global Affairs Canada and draws in a number of other departments, including Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada through the various initiatives being pursued.
· The Indo-Pacific Strategy includes new initiatives and investments of almost $2.3 billion over the first 5 years.
· In 2021, India, China and the Philippines were the top 3 source countries for permanent residents to Canada, accounting for 44% of admissions combined.
· Approximately 65% of Canada’s international students are from the Indo-Pacific region. As part of the Indo-Pacific Strategy, the Canada-ASEAN Scholarships and Educational Exchanges for Development program will provide $14.2 million in funding over 5 years to encourage valuable exchanges and the sharing of expertise, and to introduce more education and research in shared areas of interest.