Marc Miller Appointed as Canada's New Immigration Minister in Major Cabinet Shuffle

Short on time? here are the highlights

• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced Marc Miller as Canada’s new Minister of Immigration after a significant cabinet shift.
• By 2025, Canada hopes to accept 500,000 new permanent residents yearly to help with the country’s aging population and labor market issues.
• Marc Miller’s top aims are to improve Express Entry, encourage family reunification, and increase immigration from francophone countries.

News

Marc Miller has been appointed as Canada’s next minister of immigration, as announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Miller, a Quebec lawmaker, formerly held the position of Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, which supported the right of Indigenous communities in Canada to self-determination.

Sean Fraser, who formerly held the same position for Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities, succeeds Miller as the next minister of immigration.

History of Marc Millar

In 2015, Marc Miller, a seasoned politician, won a seat in Canada’s Parliament. He has experience as a practicing lawyer and had served in the Canadian Armed Forces before joining politics.

Miller, who was born and reared in Montreal, completed his education at the Université de Montréal, where he obtained two degrees in Political Science. Later, he attended McGill University to obtain his law degree.

The Canadian Immigration hike after Justin Trudeau

The Canadian government, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has been actively promoting increased immigration numbers. Before Trudeau took office, the nation yearly accepted about 250,000 new permanent citizens. But once Trudeau came into power, this figure rose to 300,000 annually, and then, right before the epidemic, to 340,000 annually.

Canada increased its immigration objectives to over 400,000 new permanent residents yearly despite the difficulties caused by the epidemic. The government now wants to accept 500,000 permanent residents per year by 2025, as per the Immigration Levels Plan 2023–2025.

Ageing and low birth rate in Canada

The ageing population and low birth rate in Canada are major factors in the decision to pursue larger immigration numbers.

The government views immigration as a means of bolstering the economic and budgetary health of the nation as about 9 million baby boomers are expected to reach the retirement age of 65 during the next ten years. It is viewed as a reaction to record low unemployment rates and large numbers of open positions.

Sean Fraser was given a list of immigration policies by Prime Minister Trudeau in December 2021 to prioritize while serving as Minister of Immigration.

Increased immigration numbers, streamlined immigrant application processing, changes to the Express Entry system, a focus on family reunification, and encouragement of francophone immigration to Canada were among these initiatives.

Since then, Minister Fraser has been actively putting a number of these strategies into action. For instance, Canada recently implemented category-based selection for Express Entry in an effort to meet a number of economic goals, including increasing immigration from francophone countries.

Fraser also disclosed plans to make it easier for immigrants to reunite with their families in Canada by the end of May.

After the cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Trudeau may give each minister a fresh mandate letter defining their specific areas of responsibility and concentration.

The government’s sustained support for immigration as a vital component of Canada’s economic and demographic expansion is shown by the choice of Marc Miller as the country’s next immigration minister.

Miller is positioned to be a key player in determining the direction of immigration rules in Canada because of his broad expertise and commitment to public service.

FAQ’S

Who is Canada’s new minister of immigration?

Marc Miller, previously the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, is now Canada’s Minister of Immigration.

Why does Canada want to increase immigration levels?

To address issues with the labor market and an aging population.

What are Marc Miller’s priorities in his role as minister of immigration?

Improving Express Entry, encouraging family reunions, and increasing immigration from francophone countries.