Categories for immigration to Canada.

• Author: Bowal, Peter

Since 1978, Canada has allowed Canadian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor their relatives to immigrate to Canada. Family reunification was an important objective of the former Immigration Act and remains so ... Of the over 2 million permanent residents admitted to this country between 1997 and 2007, 615,000 (or 27%) are members of the family class.

--Canada v. Mavi, per Binnie J. at para 1

Introduction

Canadian immigration legislation dates from 1869, recognizing the important role that immigration has played in the foundation of this country. Canada's immigration law and policy did not always welcome all people. Some countries' nationals were barred and others faced selective levies, such as under the Chinese Head Tax and Exclusion Act of 1885. Today, Canadian immigration continues to be selective, not on ethnic grounds, but on other objectives such as humanitarianism, economic contribution, or family reunification.

This article will briefly describe these three categories of immigration, which is primarily a federal responsibility. The website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada is an excellent source of more complete and detailed information about immigration to Canada.

Humanitarian Immigration

Some people have a legitimate fear of persecution in their homeland. They need to flee to survive or to escape seriously oppressive discrimination. Examples include political dissidents, those who have fled war at home, or persecuted members of minority religious or ethnic populations. International conventions cover humanitarian sanctuary for refugees and Canada, like most western industrial nations, accepts and protects thousands of people each year in this way.

Many refugees apply for this status after they have reached Canada. Some 25,000 persons made asylum claims from within Canada in 2011. Those who have been convicted of serious criminal offences, who cannot demonstrate a genuine fear of persecution if returned, who have been refused asylum already or cannot pass a security check will not be admitted.

The federal government works with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), other referral organizations and private sponsors to locate refugees for resettlement in Canada.

Refugees may also be accepted from outside Canada because many genuine refugees will not be able to get to Canada. The federal government works with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), other referral organizations and...