Hong Kong Watch calls on Canada to use its new immigration plan to help Hong Kongers
This week, Canada’s Minister for Immigration, Sean Fraser MP, outlined a new immigration plan which would see Canada seek to bring in 1.3 million immigrants over the next three years to support its post-pandemic recovery.
Under the plan, immigrants moving to Canada in the next three years would amount to 1.3% of the total population by 2024. The plan commits to offering ‘support for global crises by providing a safe haven through humanitarian immigration to those facing persecution’.
Commenting on the announcement, Hong Kong Watch’s Senior Policy Advisor, Sam Goodman, said:
“At a time when Canada faces labour market shortages, an aging population, and sluggish economic growth, the Minister of Immigration should use the Government’s new immigration plan as an opportunity to expand its lifeboat scheme for Hong Kongers born after 1997.
This should include extending the time-limited nature of the current schemes, dispensing with the requirement for a Hong Kong police certificate which has deterred many pro-democracy activists from applying, and making it easier for Hong Kongers with relatives in Canada to work and live in the country.
The Canadian Government’s commitment to provide safe haven for those facing persecution, should not exclude the thousands of young Hong Kongers who continue to face the prospect of jail and are not covered by the UK’s BNO scheme.”
The full ministerial statement can be found here: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2022/02/new-immigration-plan-to-fill-labour-market-shortages-and-grow-canadas-economy.html
香港監察呼籲加拿大政府
利用新公布移民政策幫助香港人
今個星期，加拿大移民部長Sean Fraser MP公布了一項新的移民政策，計劃在未來三年引進130萬名新移民，以支持肺炎疫情過後的復甦計劃。
根據該計劃，未來三年移居至加拿大的移民，將在2024年佔總人口的 1.3%。該計劃承諾「通過人道主義移民，為面臨迫害的人士提供安全的避風港，以支持全球危機」。
在評論這項新公布的政策時，香港監察的資深政策顧問Sam Goodman表示︰
「在加拿大面對勞工市場短缺、人口老化和經濟增長放緩時，移民部長應利用政府新公布的移民政策作為一個契機，擴展其為在1997年後出生的年輕香港人制訂的救生艇計劃。
這應包括延長現行計劃的時限性，豁免令許多打算申請移民加拿大的民運人士卻步、提交由香港警方發出的證明文件的要求，以及讓有親屬在加拿大的香港人更容易到當地工作和生活。
加拿大政府在承諾為那些面臨迫害的人士提供避風港時，不應排除數以千萬計的年輕香港人，他們正面臨入獄風險，而且未能申請英國 的BNO簽證 計劃。」
以下是完整的加拿大部長聲明︰