What the Governor General of Canada’s Speech Means for Immigration

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20-10-2025
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What the Governor General of Canada’s Speech Means for Immigration

The priorities outlined for the new session of Canada’s Parliament carry several implications for the country’s immigration policies and for immigrants themselves. The Government of Canada has emphasized that welcoming immigrants will remain a top priority in the new Parliamentary session.

Immigration News – September 24, 2020

Each new session of Parliament begins with a Speech from the Throne, which sets out the government’s objectives.

Governor General Julie Payette delivered the Speech on September 23 to officially open the second session of the 43rd Parliament of Canada. The Governor General is the federal representative of Canada’s monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.

Immigration Will Be Key to Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Recovery

Payette outlined four pillars of the government’s plan for the new session of Parliament:

1) Combat the pandemic and save lives;

2) Support people and businesses through the crisis for as long as it lasts. Whatever happens, protecting Canadians’ health is the best thing for the economy;

3) Build back better to create a stronger Canadian economy;

4) Protect Canadians as a people—being a welcoming nation, honoring our two official languages, promoting gender equality, and advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

Payette stated that immigration will be key in supporting Canada’s COVID-19 economic recovery. She noted:

“Immigration remains a driving force of Canada’s economic growth. As other countries turn away global talent that could help their economies, Canada has an opportunity, as we recover, to become the world’s top destination for talent, capital, and jobs. When people choose Canada, help build Canada, and make sacrifices to support Canada, we should make it easier for them to officially become Canadian… As part of both the short-term economic recovery and the long-term growth plan, the Government will leverage our advantage in immigration to keep Canada competitive on the world stage. The measures announced in the Speech are interwoven with immigration in several different ways.”

The Speech stressed that the Government of Canada will continue to provide various economic and social supports during and beyond the pandemic to help raise Canadians’ standard of living.

This includes income support for individuals and businesses, with targeted assistance for women. Women have been affected by the pandemic, and immigrant women are no exception. While immigrants overall have seen improved economic outcomes since the pandemic began, immigrant women still lag behind immigrant men.

Furthermore, the Speech from the Throne set Canada’s goal to create one million jobs—an initiative that will help immigrants who have been impacted by COVID-19.

The government will also offer more financial support for those looking to buy a home in Canada. Homeownership rates are high among Canadian immigrants, but with housing becoming increasingly expensive across the country, such support will make homeownership more accessible for both Canadians and immigrants.

The Speech from the Throne itself does not go into detail about how the government’s plans will be implemented. Many of these details will be found in the new mandate letters from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to his ministers, including Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino.

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