Immigration regulations (Canada) (1967)

2011-02-17 14:00:16

In the wake of the White Paper on Canadian Immigration Policy of October 1966, the Canadian government announced a new series of immigration regulations in September 1967. Although designed in large measure to systematically address the almost unregulated movement of sponsored Canadian immigrants, the regulations introduced for the first time the principle of nondiscrimination on the basis of race or national origin, virtually ending the White Canada policy that had prevailed since the beginning of the 20th century.
Following the Liberal return to power in 1963, widespread concern over the massive influx of family-sponsored, often unskilled immigrants led to a full review of immigration procedures, leading to a massive reorganization of governmental agencies and policies, including the Government Organization Act (1966), the Immigration Appeal Board Act (1967), and the immigration regulations of 1967. The new regulations created three categories of immigrants: independent, sponsored, and nominated. The admission of independent applicants was determined by a new Norms of Assessment point system, applied in nine categories: education, age, suggesting long-term suitability, fluency in English or French, employment opportunities, Canadian relatives, area of destination, occupational demand, and occupational skill. Close family relatives were admitted as sponsored immigrants, but more distant “nominated” relatives were subject to a points evaluation on the basis of education, personal characteristics, job skills, job demand, and age. Section 34 of the new regulations also enabled aliens to apply for immigrant status after arriving in Canada. The new regulations were generally welcomed as a fairer method of determining eligibility. By the early 1970s, however, it became clear that immigrants were taking advantage of the new appeals policy, leading to a massive backlog of appeals and further impetus for the more broadly conceived changes that would be embodied in the Immigration Act of 1976.