Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - November 2006
Liberal Immigration Critic Raymonde Folco, former president of the Conseil des communautés culturelles et de l'immigration, has brought attention to the Conservative government’s revised immigration targets which have actually reduced the level of skilled immigrants to Canada for 2007.
According to Folco, Canada is facing a pan-Canadian skilled labour shortage and in the wake of this shortage crisis, Folco states that it is “shocking” that the current Immigration Minister, Monte Solberg, would decide to cut the annual target for foreign skilled workers.
Cutting annual target affects both the skilled immigrants wanting to come to Canada and Canadian employers who are “desperate for workers” in several key industry in Canada.
In comparison, the previous Liberal Government set “generous targets for 2005”, and admitted “5000 additional skilled workers above original target levels” in order to address the shortage.
There is also criticism towards the Conservative government’s decision to deport non-status skilled workers, especially those in industries with labour shortages and who have been contributing to the labour market. The decision was made even after the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration called on the government to put a moratorium on the removal of non-status skilled workers until a more effective policy could be put in place. This proposal was rejected by the Conservative government, further increasing the need for new skilled workers.
Liberal party members have stated that it is clear “the Conservative government does not understand the impact of the immigration system on the Canadian economy, or the value that skilled immigrants bring to Canada as a whole”. The Conservative party has been criticised as failing to improve and advance the immigration system into the 21st century.
Source: www.liberal.ca
