Maple News reports that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has released new mandate letters to his cabinet, shaping the direction of Canada’s immigration policy in the coming years. These mandate letters outline key responsibilities and objectives for each minister and are central to the government’s vision, especially in the area of immigration.
The updated immigration mandate assigns significant tasks to Sean Fraser, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship. Fraser and his department, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), will oversee implementing an ambitious and modernized immigration strategy with a strong emphasis on efficiency, inclusivity, and regional development.
One of the government’s top priorities is to reduce application processing times—an issue exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The mandate calls for efforts to eliminate backlogs and streamline the immigration system. Additionally, Trudeau wants to see new and expanded permanent residency pathways through the Express Entry system, targeting international students and temporary foreign workers who already contribute to Canadian society.
Family reunification features prominently in the plan. New measures will include electronic application systems and a program enabling temporary residence for spouses and children waiting abroad while their permanent resident cases are processed. This is a clear step towards making the process less stressful and more predictable for families.
A notable element of the new plan is the long-awaited Municipal Nominee Program (MNP), designed to attract newcomers to small and mid-sized communities across Canada, thus promoting more balanced population growth. Though proposed in 2019, its launch was delayed by the pandemic; the government now aims to bring it to life.
The Trudeau government is also revisiting its 2019 commitment to waive citizenship application fees—an important move to make Canadian citizenship more accessible. Another key initiative involves building a Trusted Employer system, particularly for those hiring through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The plan includes enhancing the Global Talent Stream by maintaining faster processing times and providing better employer support services.
In addition, the government will continue its work to regularize undocumented workers and further promote Francophone immigration, particularly in collaboration with Quebec. Canada remains committed to resettling 40,000 Afghan refugees, reinforcing its role in international humanitarian efforts.
Since taking office in 2015, the Liberal government has progressively raised immigration targets, moving from around 300,000 annual newcomers to over 400,000. Following their re-election in 2021, Trudeau appointed a new cabinet, entrusting Fraser—a lawyer from Nova Scotia first elected to Parliament in 2015—with the immigration portfolio. Internal meetings within IRCC have confirmed short-term national goals: achieving the 2021 immigration target of 401,000 newcomers, reuniting families, and completing efforts to relocate Afghan refugees.
These updated priorities point to a more agile, responsive, and inclusive immigration system poised to meet both demographic and economic needs across Canada’s diverse regions.