The North American country of Canada will offer 15,000 humanitarian visas in the coming months for citizens of some Latin American and Caribbean countries, as long as they can prove that they have family ties with people who already live in their territory.
This program seeks to complement the actions that the Canadian government already carries out to offer legal and safe ways to immigrate to the country.
What countries are included in this program?
According to Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada (IRCC), this new opportunity is aimed exclusively at people from Colombia, Haiti and Venezuela.
The official stressed that Canada has a commitment to humanitarian traditions and support to those who require it, so it knows that it is necessary to provide regular and, above all, safe options to emigrate.
Miller added that this migration provides cultural enrichment to Canadian communities, in addition to contributing to the coverage of various jobs.
“Providing legal and safe pathways for displaced people to start new lives in Canada not only fulfills our commitment, but also strengthens our country through the significant contributions newcomers make to our communities, including the growth of our economy. and the coverage of gaps in the labor market.”
Requirements for the program
In order to apply for one of these 15,000 humanitarian visas, applicants must have close family ties with people in Canada, that is, children, grandchildren, spouses, de facto partners, parents, grandparents or siblings of Canadian citizens or who are legal permanent residents. .
Similarly to Humanitarian Parole Program Implemented by the United States in January of this year, family members in Canada must commit to financially supporting these people for a period of one year.
Benefits for migrants
Migrants who choose this legal route will receive several benefits, even before traveling to Canada, such as job skills assessments and referrals to settlement service organizations.
Likewise, they may be eligible to receive transitional financial assistance from the Relocation Assistance Program. All this is done to facilitate the integration of these people into society and the labor market.
