Canada Budget 2023 Proposals for Immigration and Grocery Rebate

The Canadian government has unveiled its budget for 2023, which includes new proposals for immigration and a one-time payment called the “grocery rebate”. Here are the main points of the budget:

• Immigration

Canada’s 2023 budget proposes significant funding for immigration, including $104.3 million for citizenship, visitors, and asylum seekers, and $123.2 million to promote francophone immigration. The government has already allocated $1.6 billion over six years and $315 million ongoing to reach its goal of welcoming 500,000 new permanent residents annually by 2025. Additionally, $50 million will be spent to address immigration backlogs.

• Biometric Screening

Applications for citizenship are currently screened using name-based searches rather than biometric methods like fingerprints, which are used in visa and permanent residency applications. This process takes longer and is less precise, resulting in longer processing times. To address this issue, the budget proposes allocating $10 million over five years to implement biometrics for citizenship applications.

• Supporting Travel to Canada

The government acknowledges that visitors to Canada generate billions of dollars in revenue. To simplify and streamline the application process for anyone wishing to visit Canada, the budget proposes expanding the eTA eligibility to low-risk, trusted travellers from additional visa-required countries. This approach will cost $50.8 million in forgone revenue over four years. The list of qualifying countries will be released in the upcoming weeks.

• Legal Aid for Asylum Seekers

Access to legal counsel, information, and guidance is crucial to ensure that Canada’s asylum procedure is fair and efficient for all. To support this, the budget proposes allocating $43.5 million to sustain government financing for immigration and refugee legal aid programs in 2023-24.

• Promoting Francophone Immigration

The budget proposes $123.2 million to enhance Francophone immigration in Canada. This includes assistance to Canadian firms in recruiting French-speaking overseas employees and improved assistance to these immigrants after they arrive.

• Grocery Rebate

The most talked-about proposal in the budget is the “grocery rebate”, which is a one-time payment to offset the cost of rising grocery inflation. Eligible couples with two children may receive up to $467, while individuals may receive up to an extra $234. Seniors may receive up to $225. This rebate is expected to benefit 11 million low- and modest-income Canadians and families.

Eligibility for Grocery Rebate

To be eligible for the grocery rebate, individuals must have a net income of $38,000 or less, while couples must have a combined net income of $76,000 or less. The rebate is calculated based on family size and income, with a maximum amount of $153 per adult, $81 per child, and $81 for singles.

In summary, Canada’s budget for 2023 aims to support the country’s economy by increasing the number of skilled immigrants, promoting francophone immigration, and simplifying the application process for visitors. The government also recognizes the importance of legal aid for asylum seekers and plans to allocate funds accordingly. Additionally, the one-time grocery rebate is expected to benefit millions of Canadians struggling with rising grocery costs.