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Immigration is the engine of the Canadian economy, helping to address labour shortages and keep our communities thriving. Newcomers have played an essential role in addressing some of our most severe labour shortages throughout the pandemic, including on the front lines. However, there remain challenges, including processing delays that have led to frustrations for those trying to come to Canada to work or reunite with their families. While Canada welcomed the highest number of permanent residents...

Publicly-funded health care for refugees and refugee claimants in Canada is provided through the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP). Between 2012 and 2016, IFHP experienced multiple changes, causing its coverage to ebb and flow. Since April 2016, IFHP has been returned to its pre-2012 form. However, there is currently limited information on how well the reinstated IFHP is protecting refugees’ and refugee claimants’ health and safety. To start filling this knowledge gap, between 2018 and 2020,...

New WHO Global Competency Standards Aim to Strengthen the Health Workforce and Support Provision of Quality Health Services to Refugees & Migrants

New World Health Organization Global Competency Standards for refugee and migrant health services aim to strengthen countries’ capacity to provide health services to refugees and migrants worldwide by defining the range of competencies that should be incorporated into health workers’ education and practices.

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The Canadian Centre for Refugee and Immigrant Health Care aims to provide humanitarian medical treatment and assistance to those new to Canada who find themselves medically uninsured and precariously insured. Many newcomers fall through the cracks of Canada’s health care system and are placed within medical limbo.

Service providers, due to varying factors, find it difficult to know who qualifies for care and who does not. This results in several newcomers who need both basic and urgent medical, dental,...

Government of Canada invests $35 million to expand settlement services for newcomers in small towns and rural communities

Newcomers to Canada play a crucial role in the future of our country and contribute in important ways to our society and economic recovery from the pandemic. To ensure newcomers settling in small towns and rural communities have access to essential services during their first year in Canada, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and...

For 2 decades, Canadians have worked side by side with Afghan nationals to improve security, democracy and human rights in Afghanistan. Now Canada is welcoming people who face risks as a result of this vitally important work.

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, today announced the arrival in Canada of over 250 Afghan refugees, including 170 human rights defenders, as government-assisted refugees. Canada has a long and proud tradition of standing up for human...

Ontario Continues to Add Hospital Beds and Build Up Health Workforce

Province Expanding Opportunities for Internationally Educated Nurses to Support Pandemic Response

With the significant exception of Indigenous people, all Canadians originally come from somewhere else. The story of immigration fills many chapters in the history of Canada—including the most recent one. To support Canada’s post-pandemic recovery and chart a more prosperous future, the Government of Canada set a target of welcoming 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021, as part of the 2021–2023 Immigration Levels Plan.

The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship,...