260,000 Immigrants Become New Canadian Citizens!
Canada’s government reported in December 2014 that over 260,000 immigrants were granted Canadian citizenship during 2014, which was double the number who received Canadian citizenship in 2013! One of the main reasons that so many people who had been issued a Permanent Resident (PR) Visa to Canada were approved for Canadian citizenship in 2014 was that a new “streamlined” decision-making process went into effect in August 2014 which helped to speed up the process of approving immigrants for Canadian citizenship. The Canadian government also reported that since 2006, 1,550,000 foreign nationals who have immigrated to Canada have become new Canadian citizens. Sustained Canadian immigration has given this incredible country one of the most multicultural populations in the world in which 20% of its 35 million residents are foreign-born.
Among the hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals who received Canadian citizenship during 2014 were Stanley Chikombero, his wife Diana Dinala, and their two sons who were approved for immigration to Canada from Zimbabwe and settled in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). At the Canadian citizenship ceremony held in Ontario on December 23, 2014, Mr. Chikombero was quoted as saying, “This is a place for success and I want that for my children. They will have a future in a great country and I hope they can contribute.” His wish is similar to that expressed by many foreign nationals who immigrate to Canada.
Approximately 250,000 people from all over the world are approved for a PR Visa to Canada through various Canadian immigration programs each year. The Canadian government recently announced an ambitious goal to issue a PR Visa to Canada for 260,000-285,000 foreign nationals during 2015, of which 181,300 would be through different “economic immigration” programs. In order to speed up the process of approving eligible skilled foreign workers for these “economic immigration” programs (i.e., Federal Skilled Workers Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class Program), Canada’s government is launching its new “Express Entry” system on January 1, 2015. Skilled foreign workers who are issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for a PR Visa to Canada through the “Express Entry” system and who submit a complete visa application and pay the required fees will receive a decision from the Canadian government regarding their visa application within only six months!
People who receive a Canadian PR Visa are authorized to live and work in Canada long-term, have access to Canada’s excellent education system, receive free basic healthcare (after a brief waiting period), and can enjoy the high standard of living that Canada is famous for. One of the most important benefits of being issued a PR Visa to Canada is the option to apply for Canadian citizenship after living in Canada at least four years in the six year prior to applying for citizenship. Just think – If you and your family are approved for immigration to Canada, you may also be able to join the 260,000 permanent residents who became Canadian citizens this year! To find out which Canadian immigration program you may be eligible to apply for, click here!
