CISSA-ACSEI releases response to Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Minister Hussen’s National Consultation on Immigration Levels

October 5, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CISSA-ACSEI releases response to Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Minister Hussen’s National Consultation on Immigration Levels

VANCOUVER, B.C. – CISSA-ACSEI releases Vision 2020: Immigration Levels Plan 2018 – 2020, a response to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Hussen’s national consultation on immigration.

“Increased immigration will address Canada’s demographic and skilled labour needs,” says Chris Friesen, Chair of the Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Alliance – Alliance canadienne du secteur de l’établissement des immigrants (CISSA-ACSEI). “We urge Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to initiate multi-year immigration level plans to enable long-term strategic planning for all those involved in immigration and the integration of newcomers.”

The CISSA-ACSEI Vision 2020: Immigration Levels Plan 2018 – 2020 outlines immigration levels of fifty thousand (50,000) annually over the next three years.The steady increase of fifty thousand (50,000) newcomers annually will respond to and address Canada’s aging population, decline in population in certain regions, decline in birth rate, and increased labour market shortages. The multi-year plan will allow for long-term planning for immigration and refugee policy, newcomer settlement and integration services, and ultimately, improved outcomes for newcomer integration.

CISSA-ACSEI and its member agencies, which represent over 500 immigrant serving agencies across Canada have identified the following key recommendations:

• Move from the current annual immigration levels plan to a three (3) year immigration levels plan;
• Increase of economic class immigrants to 280,500 economic class immigrants or 62% of overall immigration by 2020;
• Increase family class immigrants with an annual baseline target of 75,000 by 2020; and
• Increase humanitarian class refugees and protected persons with an annual baseline of 20,000 government assisted refugees and privately sponsored refugees.

CISSA-ACSEI welcomes the opportunity to provide input and is looking forward to a pan-Canadian discussion on the future direction of immigration in Canada.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Contact: Chris Friesen, Chair, CISSA-ACSEI
Phone: 778 995 3009
Email: chair@cissa-acsei.org

ASSOCIATED LINKS:
CISSA-ACSEI Vision 2020: Immigration Levels Plan 2018 – 2020
http://ow.ly/QdFU30fCfBd 

QUICK FACTS ABOUT CISSA-ACSEI

CISSA-ACSEI is a pan-Canadian association formed to represent the immigrant settlement sector in Canada. We have the knowledge and the expertise to influence immigration policy and enhance settlement and integration programs.