Canada Global (Web New) The Canadian Armed Forces made an Instagram post announcing that permanent residents will soon be eligible to join the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). This post came a week before Memorial Day.
Every November 11, Canadians gather to remember the contributions and sacrifices made by members of the armed forces. The tradition began at the end of World War I in 1918 and marks the moment the war officially ended at 11am.
Canadians often attend local memorial events to remember those who served.It takes just two minutes at 11 a.m. to stop whatever other people are doing and reflect in silence. The Department of National Defense (DND) is expected to make a formal announcement regarding the policy change in the coming days. Until now, permanent residents were not allowed in the CAF due to security clearance issues. However, CAF is facing an urgent shortage of recruits.
The news comes as a major change in the recruitment policy. In March, Defense Minister Anita Anand said Canada’s military needed to grow, especially in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but in late April of this year, the CAF said it was considering removing the citizenship requirement. So not ready yet. Canada has about 12,000 regular force troops, less than its “full strength” of 100,000 regular force members.
Canada expects 500,000 new permanent residents by 2025. The change comes as Canada releases its Immigration Level Plan for 2023-2025, targeting 500,000 new permanent residents in Canada each year by the end of 2025. According to the 2021 census, about a quarter of Canadians are landed immigrants or permanent residents. Immigrants are also prime candidates for the military because they typically arrive in Canada at a younger age where they are likely to be more physically active.
Starting recruitment for permanent residents would also change the demographic makeup of the military, which currently comprises less than 12% visible minorities and 16% women. The other three-quarters are white men. Skilled Military Alien Applicant Program Currently, the only way for permanent residents to join the armed forces is through the Skilled Military Alien Applicant (SMFA) program. This program is designed for individuals who have a unique skill set that will reduce the cost of training or fill a specific need within the CAF, such as a trained pilot or medic.