Canada has informally agreed to welcome thousands of additional workers from Punjab.
The informal agreement materialized in a meeting between Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi and Canadian High Commissioner Leslie Scanlon on Thursday.
Naqvi expressed optimism regarding the agreement, stating that Pakistani youth would soon have the opportunity to explore employment opportunities in Canada.
Furthermore, the two sides held detailed discussions over collaboration in other areas, such as environmental protection between them.
The emphasis on environmental collaboration is significant, especially considering Lahore’s current status as one of the most polluted cities in the world.
A delegation from the Punjab government is set to visit Canada for the formal signing of the agreement in the coming weeks.
Earlier, Canada had announced that Pakistani applicants wishing to visit Canada will now be able to have their visas processed within two months, as Ottawa reduced the duration of visa processing.
The development was announced by Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser, who shared the update.
“Pakistani citizens will be able to receive Canada’s visit visa in 60 days instead of 802 days,” the minister said.
He also promised to further lessen the period for visa processing by speeding up the process to be completed within a month.
