Immiboards ― As of June 21, 2021, any foreign national who holds a valid Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) may travel to Canada.
In a press release yesterday, the government announced that as of June 21st, “foreign nationals who hold a valid COPR issued after March 18th, 2020” can also come to Canada. The policy change is expected to have major implications for both immigration and tourism in Canada.
A COPR is a Confirmation of Permanent Residence document granted to successful PR applicants for immigrating to Canada.
When an immigrant is approved for permanent residence in Canada, they receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence document. The immigration officer at the port of entry or CIC office signs and dates this document when their approval to reside permanently has been granted.
Canada recently extended international travel restrictions. However, with this announcement, valid COPR holders shall be exempted from travel restrictions. Thus valid COPR holders will be able to travel to Canada and start their new life.
Previously, foreign nationals with COPRs issued after March 18th, 2020 are only able to enter if they meet another exemption or are coming from one country in particular: the US to settle permanently. Due to the travel restrictions, many exempted applicants were also unable to enter Canada before their COPR expired. However, IRCC has been working with these individuals and reissued a new COPR for them as well.
IRCC, the Canadian immigration agency, warns individuals that if their COPR has expired they should not book flights or attempt to travel to Canada until they receive a new one.
Soon, IRCC will release information on how to renew expired COPRs for those applicants who are approved after March 18th, 2020. The IRCC will be able to reissue a new valid COPR for these individuals so that they can once again travel into the country.
Upon arriving in Canada, all travellers including those approved for permanent residence, are required to comply with the COVID-19 health measures and requirements. All travellers must follow the requirements checklist for flying to Canada or driving to Canada.
Immigration is a necessary way to address Canada’s demographic challenges. Immigration will be crucial in the post-pandemic economic recovery, and it has been vital since its inception as part of Canada’s development.
It remains an integral component of Canadian society for many reasons. One reason being that immigration combats labour shortages. In the future, Canada will have a higher proportion of older workers and retirees.
This is problematic because it leaves fewer people to support these ageing populations in terms of healthcare costs or retirement savings. Immigration combats this issue by bringing new labour into the country that can address these challenges with its younger population.
Without it, the country would struggle to recover from any pandemic-caused economic downturn; as such, immigration is vital for ensuring that Canadians can enjoy an improved quality of life post-pandemic recovery.
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