MORE INDIANS IN CANADA DESPITE LARGE INFLUX OF SYRIA REFUGEES

TheinfluxofSyrianrefugees into Canada last year did notimpactthenumberofpermanent residents admitted from India. Their number grew marginallybyjustover250to39,789in 2016, making India the secondlargest source country for the third year in succession, and trailing only immigrants from the Philippines.

However, Syrians displaced Chineseimmigrantsasthethirdlargest group. Thiswasrevealed in data released as part of the annual report on immigration tabledinParliamentonWednesdaybyimmigration,refugeesand citizenship minister Ahmed D Hussen.

The Canadian government alsopresentedathree-yearpolicy forintakeofimmigrantsthatmay prove beneficial to prospective immigrantsfrom India since the quotasfortheeconomicandfamily categories, which are used by manyIndians,havebeenraised.

ImmigrationlawyerRaviJain, ofToronto-basedfirmGreenand Spiegel, said: “This is all incredible news for Indians and also for Indianstudents(whoarecoming toCanadainrecordnumbers)as it provides a growing allotment over the next three years of permanent residence ‘spots’.”

According to the report, the plan that was introduced “sets outthemostambitiousimmigrationlevelsin recenthistory”,and will provide 340,000 permanent resident spots by 2020.

In a statement, Hussen said, “This historic multi-year immigrationlevels planwillbenefit all Canadians because immigrants will contribute their talents to support our economic growth and innovation, helping to keep ourcountryattheforefrontofthe global economy.”

TORONTO: