Security measures for Canadian immigration have been stepped up by the Harper government. This is to achieve two results. This will help protect Canada, ensuring safety and security, for citizens. It will also enhance the integrity of the various types of immigration programs that Canada offers to skilled workers moving from overseas. Terrorist activity is a major cause of tightening security measures. One of the biggest triggers, for emergency reform, was the discovery of a conspiracy to derail passenger trains.
Security measures have been put in place along with a strong message for immigrants to adopt Canadian values of life or avoid coming to the country altogether. One of the biggest security measures put in place is the issuance of a biometric visa that includes fingerprints and photos of immigrants to Canada. The electronic travel authorization mechanism will further highlight the efficiency of security measures. The US watchlist will be more widely accessed to ensure that suspects are intervened at the right point before entering the country. This process will be adopted in two stages. This is because there are two types of immigrants, those who need a visa to arrive in Canada and those who do not need a Canadian visa thanks to the same understanding of their home country as Canada.
Security measures for Canadian immigration have been implemented through a new law called Protecting Canada’s Immigration System Act. Another incentive behind reforming the Balanced Refugee Reform Act is the savings in tax money, which is usually used for fake refugees. It does not require the protection that Canada’s asylum system offers. Apart from improved screening procedures, there is a greater focus on Canadian security agencies working closely with other security agencies around the world, to identify potential threats to the country’s peace.
These security measures will further strengthen the existing mechanism by which visa applicant reviews are conducted by the Canadian Border Services Agency. Two other organizations, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, are also involved in cases of immigrants arriving from high-risk countries. Biometric data will be introduced to avoid illegal immigration through fake or even stolen documents. Interestingly, several measures have also been introduced to demonstrate the immigration system’s zero tolerance for queues.
Another focus issue that will be addressed through reform of security measures is preventing people smuggling across borders. These measures fall under the purview of Canada’s Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. At the same time, there have been positive developments as well such as pilot programs attracting working immigrants to start-up technologies with provable funding. This allows the immigrant to apply for permanent residency in the country, a move that demonstrates the government’s tendency to increase the innovative spirit in the country. Reforms, both in terms of technological advances and in terms of regulation, also aim to reduce the waiting time for applications to be processed.