Canada to admit 11,000 migrants from Colombia, Haiti, Venezuela

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) – Canada said Tuesday that it will welcome 11,000 migrants from Colombia, Haiti and Venezuela this fall.

The catch to enter the “new humanitarian permanent residence pathway” is they must have a Canadian relative living here, said Immigration Minister Marc Miller.

“Starting this fall, Colombian, Haitian and Venezuelan foreign nationals located in Central or South America or the Caribbean who have extended family connections in Canada will be eligible to apply for this new pathway,” Miller said in a statement from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

“To qualify, the principal applicant must be a child (regardless of age), grandchild, spouse, common-law partner, parent, grandparent or sibling of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.”

The number is part of the commitment announced in March by Canada to bring in migrants from Central and South America.

“Earlier this year, we announced that we will welcome 15,000 migrants on a humanitarian basis from the Western Hemisphere,” Miller said. “We are providing a path to economic opportunities to help address forced displacement, as an alternative to irregular migration.”

Canada will also wave hello to 4,000 temporary foreign workers, many of whom have already arrived, he said.

Before coming to Canada, successful applicants under the new Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot will take an employment skills assessment and be referred to an organization to help the newcomers settle in their intended community, Miller said.

“Global displacement of people in search of safety is at an all-time high,” he said.

“The Americas are seeing unprecedented numbers of migrants seeking safe haven and new opportunities, in often dangerous situations...Working closely with the US, we expect to see these measures help curb irregular migration and promote safe migration as an alternative to the often-dangerous irregular routes in the Americas.”