Ontario Fast-Tracks Immigration

Ontario's government is seeking to fast-track the immigration process for certain skilled professions and trades in order to help fill shortages in the labour market. In this program, employers may seek to nominate foreign candidates, who then become eligible to seek fast-tracked permanent resident status in Canada.

The nominee program has recently been expanded to include foreign students with a full time permanent offer of employment related to their Canadian studies. To be eligible, foreign students must be nominated by an Ontario employer; have completed at least half of their studies in Canada and graduated from an eligible Canadian college or university; and apply within two years of the date of their Canadian graduation.

Canada's Foreign Student Enrollment Reaches High

For the fifth consecutive year, foreign student enrollment at Canada's universities has hit record highs. For the 2005-2006 academic year, the last for which national figures are available, enrollment reached over 80,000 students, accounting for a 6% increase over the prior year. The provinces of Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec account for the largest numbers of foreign students. These provinces together presently attract approximately 78% of the enrollment.

The report by Statistics Canada suggests that economic growth in certain regions, more attractive immigration policies, and more aggressive marketing by the universities themselves all account for the increases.

Technology Industry Targeting Canadian Immigration

Technology industry representatives in the province of British Columbia are recruiting overseas for tech jobs. In order to help fill the approximately 10,000 positions which are projected vacant in the province this year, international technology students in the USA who are required to leave the USA are being invited to fairs conducted by the non-profit B.C. Technology Industry Association (BCTIA).

Approximately 400 technology companies participated in the annual TechTalentBC Labour Demand Study, funded by Western Economic Diversification Canada and the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education. Although most employers recognized that many of their employment needs would derive from immigration, most were not familiar with the various programs in place to facilitate that.

The BCTIA is trying to promote the region as a permanent and long-term destination for skilled workers. The group suggests that the industry's labour shortage is growing at a faster rate than originally predicted.

Immigrant Association Seeks to Fill Labour Needs

The Niagara Immigrants Employment Council was launched last month in order to fulfill the goals of attracting new Canadian immigrants to the Niagara, Ontario region and to promote the hiring of such immigrants by local employers. With participation from representatives of the region's leading companies and the presidents of local colleges and universities, the organization believes that it can help reduce local labour shortages.

By 2011, the growth of the Niagara region's labour force will depend mainly on foreign-trained individuals. The Niagara Economic Development Corporation identified a shortage of approximately 35,000 to 48,000 workers by the year 2010. The focus on attracting and retaining new immigrants is seen as a critical step in ensuring the region's continued vitality.

Internship Program for New Canadian Immigrants

Career Bridge, a program launched in 2003 by non-profit group Career Edge, has helped launch approximately 700 careers with more than 200 Canadian employers in the Toronto area. By partnering with Canadian companies, new Canadians benefit from a valuable foot in the door, gaining Canadian experience and contacts at the same time.

The success of the program has more recently led to its launch in the Vancouver area. Some of the companies that have already joined the effort in this region include Alcan, BC Hydro, CIBC, GE Canada, Canada Trust and Telus.

Increased Canadian Immigration Needed for Calgary Region

A study by the Calgary Economic Development suggests that the Calgary region will suffer a shortfall of approximately 244,000 workers over the next decade. The group recognizes that this sort of shortfall is a problem being faced by most nations with balanced economies, and that there is increasing competition for skilled workers from around the world.

The Alberta Federation of Labour is calling for more emphasis on the improvement of the processes to enable the permanent immigration of skilled workers. Representatives of Citizenship and Immigration Canada identify various measures that they have been putting in place in order to better attract qualified immigrants. These include measures to facilitate the retention of foreign students in Canada, pilot projects to expedite the admission of certain workers, and programs to expedite the recognition of foreign credentials.