Permanent residents, international students and visitor visas account for record year
May 29, 2015 — Ottawa — Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister, Chris Alexander, marked the finale of Asian Heritage Month by announcing at Markham’s Sino-Canada Educational and Cultural Festival that Canada welcomed nearly 361,000 visitors from China in 2014 – up 34 percent from the previous year.
In addition to temporary resident visas, nearly 25,000 people from China became permanent residents in 2014. Canada also welcomed a record 65,600 students from China in 2014.
Nearly 94 percent of visitors in 2014 received a Multiple Entry Visa (MEV), which allows visitors to leave and return to Canada for six months at a time for up to 10 years. MEVs are a fast, flexible and convenient option for frequent visitors to Canada.
Canada offers many opportunities for Chinese travellers, skilled workers, students and business people, including the recently announced Can-plus program in China, which will help build on the growth seen from Asia’s large market and economy.
In order to facilitate deeper trade and travel ties for Chinese visitors to Canada, a new visa office will be opening in Guangzhou this summer, further expanding CIC’s presence in China.
Quick facts
- Nearly 1.5 million Canadian residents can trace their ancestral roots to China.
- Since 2010, Canada has welcomed an annual average of more than 261,000 permanent residents.
- In 2010, Canada and China signed an Approved Destination Status agreement, which allows Chinese travel agents to promote and arrange tours to Canada. Processing times for applicants from these tours average less than one week and have high approval rates.
Quote
“China remains a top source of students, visitors and immigrants to Canada. Our government recognizes the importance of the relationship between Canada and China and the value China’s people bring when they choose to study, live and work in our great country.”
Chris Alexander, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister
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Associated links
- News release – Canada welcomes long-term Multiple-Entry Visas for Canadian travellers to China
- Visit Canada – Citizenship and Immigration Canada website
- Immigrate to Canada – Citizenship and Immigration Canada website
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Photos of Minister Alexander available at: www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/photos/index.asp
Contacts
Kevin Menard
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-954-1064
Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca
Building a stronger Canada: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) strengthens Canada’s economic, social and cultural prosperity, helping ensure Canadian safety and security while managing one of the largest and most generous immigration programs in the world.
