Permanent Residents

IRCC Questions:

Strengthening our Canadian fabric

• How many newcomers should we welcome to Canada in 2017 and beyond?
• How can we best support newcomers to ensure they become successful members of our communities?
• Do we have the balance right among the immigration programs or streams? If not, what priorities should form the foundation of Canada's immigration planning?

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Media release

March 29, 2016 – A new report concludes that all migrant workers should have access to settlement services and permanent residence. The report, “Migrant Workers: Precarious and Unsupported”, released today by Canada’s nine national, regional and provincial umbrellas of organizations serving newcomers, compiles the responses from 167 organizations on the needs and realities of migrant workers, by province and region..

May 14, 2015/Toronto – OCASI is delighted at the Monday, May 11, 2015 decision by North Bay City Council to support the right of permanent residents to vote in municipal and school board elections.

The successful vote is a strong expression of support for immigrant settlement and integration, and making local elections more inclusive and representative.

OCASI congratulates Don Curry of the North Bay and District Multicultural Centre and OCASI's Northern Regional Director for his determined and unwavering efforts over two years, resulting in the win at City Council.

December 9, 2014/Toronto - The Auditor General (AG) of Ontario has found serious shortcomings in the Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) in her 2014 Annual Report, released on Tuesday December 9, 2014. The report makes several important recommendations, which when implemented will bring a transformation to ensure program integrity.

The PNP as a policy tool is critically important to Ontario, Canada's largest province, to compete with other countries as well as provinces and territories for highly qualified immigrants. 

Comme organisme engagé dans les droits des personnes et l'équité, OCASI- Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants est profondément préoccupé par le fait que la Charte des valeurs québécoises proposée, va discriminer et marginaliser les femmes et les hommes appartenant aux groupes et communautés en quête d'équité.

As an organization committed to human rights and equity, OCASI – Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants is deeply concerned that the proposed Quebec Charter of Values will discriminate against and marginalize women and men from equity-seeking groups and communities.

OCASI – Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants as well as other sector umbrella organizations across Canada were given the opportunity to provide a written submission to CIC NHQ with further input and suggestions on Canada's settlement policy following the conclusion of the National Settlement Conference Vision 2020.

Hundreds of thousands of Toronto residents pay local taxes and use city services, but have no say in who represents them, because they are not yet Canadian citizens. Recently, the City of Toronto's Community Development and Recreation Committee put forward a request to review “the opportunity to have permanent residents in Toronto be given the right to vote in municipal elections.” Join OCASI - Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants and Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office for a panel discussion on the merits of this proposal.