Faster Canada immigraton and more Canada study visas

Canadian political leaders are alluring Indians living in Canada by promising increased number of Canada study visas and reduced immigration waiting times for Indians.

The Canadian parliamentary elections slated to be held on May 2 this year and the political parties of Canada are trying their level-best to woo Indo-Canadians to vote in their favor.

Their aim is to convince minority ethnic communities living in Canada that the concerned party is in their favor. Some of the top cream of opposition Liberal Party got together at the CIF(Canada-India Foundation) roundtable in Toronto.

Speaking at the CIF, the leaders reiterated their party's commitment to improve bilateral ties between Canada and India beyond trade. The move will include increased focus on higher immigration as well as tourism from India to Canada, the leaders maintained.

In addition, efforts will be made for nurturing better cooperation for education and research between both the nations, the leaders stated.

Past achievements of the party reminded to Indo-Canadians—Toronto MP Bob Rae reminded the immigrants in Canada hailing from India about the efforts of Paul Martin, the former Prime Minister of Canada and the leader of his party in inclusion of India among the G20 nations. Rae also emphasized on the need for better nuclear relations between India and Canada.

More Canada student visas for Indians—Markham-Unionville, Toronto MP, John McCallum, hinted at increasing the number of Canada student visas for Indian wanting to study in Canada. He stated that the Canadian government needs to revise its immigration rules for attracting more Indians to come and study in Canada adding that Australia was busy grabbing Canada's share of Indian students.

The number of Indians immigrating to Australia for studying there is stated to be around 40,000 while Canada attracts around 3,500 Indians on Canada student visas annually.

Reduced Canada immigration waiting times---The issue of family reunification seems to have become the hot button topic for political parties in Canada. Another Toronto MP, Rob Oliphant, reiterated his party's commitment to significantly reduce the current immigration waiting times under the family class immigration to five or six years. Presently, the waiting times for family class immigration are stated to be anything between 11 to 13 years.