Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

Permanent residents can apply to join Armed Forces

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 05 Dec, 2022 03:48 PM
  • Permanent residents can apply to join Armed Forces

OTTAWA - Permanent residents can now apply to join the Canadian Armed Forces, regardless of whether they have been trained by a foreign military.

It's the latest effort by Canada's military to boost recruitment numbers, which are lagging well behind the target of adding 5,900 new members by March.

Officials have blamed a series of factors including the COVID-19 pandemic and reputational issues stemming from a number of high-profile sexual misconduct cases for the current shortfall of nearly 8,000 soldiers, sailors and aviators.

Until now, permanent residents in Canada could sign up only if they were skilled professionals who were trained by foreign militaries, but the federal government is now broadening the pool of applicants.

The Department of National Defence says joining the military can help permanent residents gain citizenship, in part because their applications are given priority by immigration officials.

On October, chief of the defence staff Gen. Wayne Eyre ordered an immediate halt to all non-essential activities in favour of boosting military recruitment and retention.

The Armed Forces has also been pushing for greater diversity in its ranks, with targeted recruiting of under-represented groups and efforts to create a more inclusive workplace by doing things like easing dress rules.

MORE National ARTICLES

Charge laid as Trudeau marks B.C. officer's death

Charge laid as Trudeau marks B.C. officer's death
Shaelyn Yang, 31, who police say was partnered with a city employee when an altercation broke out at a park in Burnaby, east of Vancouver, and she was stabbed on Tuesday.    

Charge laid as Trudeau marks B.C. officer's death

B.C. NDP leadership hopeful Anjali Appadurai expects expulsion

B.C. NDP leadership hopeful Anjali Appadurai expects expulsion
She says the recommendation results from a "biased and unlevel playing field," and an attempt to "control a situation in which an underdog candidate out-organized the front-runner, signing up many more members in just 25 days."

B.C. NDP leadership hopeful Anjali Appadurai expects expulsion

Police name murder victims found in Burnaby, B.C.

Police name murder victims found in Burnaby, B.C.
A statement from the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the bodies of 24-year-old Kiesha Garie and 30-year-old Umair Kasim were inside the vehicle, parked in a neighbourhood in northwest Burnaby. 

Police name murder victims found in Burnaby, B.C.

Trudeau says he will guarantee emissions targets

Trudeau says he will guarantee emissions targets
The next target is set for 2030, and requires Canada to get emissions to 55 to 60 per cent of what they were in 2005. That's a more-ambitious version of a previous target the Trudeau government set when it came into power. 

Trudeau says he will guarantee emissions targets

Burnaby RCMP officer killed on the job, please avoid Canada Way

Burnaby RCMP officer killed on the job, please avoid Canada Way
Several media reports say the officer was killed while assisting a bylaw officer at a homeless camp site. Federal Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said he was devastated by the news of the loss of the officer in the line of duty.

Burnaby RCMP officer killed on the job, please avoid Canada Way

PHAC eyeing COVID-19 variant evolution as fall resurgence looms

PHAC eyeing COVID-19 variant evolution as fall resurgence looms
At the House of Commons health committee, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said the Public Health Agency of Canada is keeping a particularly careful eye on the evolution of Omicron variants, which are the most common subvariants in the country, along with any new mutations.

PHAC eyeing COVID-19 variant evolution as fall resurgence looms