Canada eases rules of immigration for families, students

"Canada's immigration system is a model for the world and today's measures allow us to maintain and enhance our position. We will do this by reducing application processing times for permanent residents who want to become Canadian citizens," said Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Joe Volpe in a statement.

Beginning in 2007-2008, the wait for permanent residency will be cut to one year from two years, without reducing rigorous security screening requirements, Volpe said.

To help bring together immigrant citizens and their parents and grandparents living abroad, the government is exempting all applicants over 55 from language and knowledge-of-Canada tests. Currently, the exemption is only for those over 60.

To compete for talented foreign students, Canada will permit foreign students to work off-campus while studying and also for one year after obtaining their diplomas.

With more than 220,000 new permanent residents each year, immigration is an important motor of demographic growth in the country, which has a population of 32 million.