Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has announced his intentions to overhaul Canada’s immigration system, including changes that will allow employers more opportunity to choose workers.
Kenney says that his changes will make for a faster, more flexible immigration system in Canada. He also says that he plans on re-designing the point-system toward a focus on youth and language ability, and that he would like to add a category of immigration specifically for trades workers.
However, the main focus of the announced changes was the power that would be given to Canadian employers, many of whom will soon be facing labour shortages as the baby-boomer generation retires.
“Once people have been identified by employers, if they meet our other standards we would fast-track them into the country,” said Kenney. “Frankly, the employer knows better than a big bureaucracy whose skills are needed and will be relevant to the Canadian labour market the minute they arrive.”
The changes to language abilities would provide for a more flexible schematic in assessing skilled workers – those who would have to deal with the public for example, such as doctors, would need to be fluent, while other professionals would not be held to the same standard.
Kenney admits looking to the Australian immigration model, wherein immigrants’ professional accreditations are assessed before arrival. He also plans on increasing the minimum amount of investment for those entering through that stream.
The Minister gave assurances that his government did not plan to lower the number of immigrants entering the country next year, and that they would still keep the same proportions of economic versus sponsored or refugee-class immigration.
Source: Globe and Mail