Canada: Permanent residents can now be part of military; Indians likely to benefit

Canadian Armed Forces

Toronto, Nov 14 (PTI) The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have announced that permanent residents, which includes a large number of Indians, will now be allowed to enlist, as the military struggles with low recruitment levels, according to a media report.

The move also comes five years after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) announced that they're changing their "outdated recruitment process" which will allow permanent residents who have lived in Canada for 10 years to apply, CTV News reported.

Permanent residents were previously only eligible under the Skilled Military Foreign Applicant (SMFA) entry programme, which was "open for individuals … that would reduce training costs or fill a special need … such as a trained pilot or a doctor," according to the Royal United Services Institute of Nova Scotia, a not-for-profit association of retired and serving members of the CAF.