In response, Ratna Omidar, the Senator of Ontario in Canada said,
“This is America’s loss but could be Canada’s gain.”
She went on to add that Canada should be able to welcome around 10,000 to 30,000 people who wish to migrate to Canada, as the DACA programs shut down.
What is DACA
DACA or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is a program designed to shelter and help immigrant children, who moved into the US illegally. It gave candidates the chance to apply for education programs, jobs, driver’s licenses and other essential things to become a part of the US community. Although only short term, the DACA program allowed immigrant children to temporarily avoid deportation to their home countries for a period of two years but also gave them a chance to renew it. Unfortunately, the program never allowed DREAMERs (Developmental Relief and Education for Alien Minors) to become part of the US, as anyone under the program could never apply for US citizenship. So, with Trump’s decision to end the program, there has been much confusion for the 800,000 people who were sheltered under DACA. Some of them lived longer in the US, then in their own home countries, and now face deportation to “home countries” that they do not even remember. Many of the dreamers expressed both doubt and confusion at being removed from the US, a country they considered to be their home.
How Canada Benefits As Dreamers Plan to Migrate to Canada
One thing that the Trump administration does not seem to realize, is the fact that they considered DACA a drain on American taxes. They did not consider the idea that not only did the US have children educated in schooling and American culture. But that many of the dreamers actually helped contribute back to America, by bringing talent, work experience and jobs to the US economy. All of these facts did not go unnoticed by Canada. Who according to Ratna’s opinion, seem like perfect candidates to migrate to Canada and improve the economy. Not only would Canada receive educated immigrants, but it would also not have to worry about the usual medical and criminal background checks, as all dreamers are already tested through the DACA system. Canada has also always allowed large numbers of international students to continue their education in many Canadian institutes. But normally when international students finish their education, they move back to their home countries. Which is why the dreamers appeal to Canada. For those who are interested in continuing to live and study in Canada, there is always a possibility of gaining permanent residency in Canada when an international student completes their studies. Potential candidates also have a chance to become Canadian citizens, a chance they would never have had in the US. The closure of the DACA program may have many unintended results, but ultimately it may help give Canada’s economy a further boost, as they benefit from the US’s mistake and allow skilled dreamers to migrate to Canada.
How Does Canada Intend to Integrate the Dreamers
In many ways, Omidvar suggested that the DREAMERs be given “special consideration” when they apply to migrate to Canada, either through student programs, or economic streams like Express Entry. Express Entry is one of the more popular streams to apply for, where processing and applications take only 6 months or less. With the right skills, experience, education, and points, candidates have a good chance of escaping deportation from the US and immigrating to Canada. Canada may also have plans for the future, to introduce programs in educational institutes like universities or colleges to help sponsor potential dreamer candidates. In many ways, dreamers do not have to worry about being able to integrate into Canada’s society, as many of the issues that other immigrants face like language barriers, lack of education or relevant work experience may not apply to many of the dreamers. Only time will tell what the effects of closing the DACA program may have in America, but Canada is quite sure that they can only benefit by accepting some of the dreamers.