The Canadian government is ramping up its recruitment efforts in Ireland in hopes of attracting more young workers to Canada.
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney visited the country’s capital last month and even made an appearance on a popular local late-night television program to promote Canadian immigration programs.
“We are trying to raise the profile of Canada because we have seen huge numbers of highly educated young Irish going to Australia,” said Kenney in advance of his recent visit. “So this is a test drive on our effort to have a more proactive recruitment-based immigration system.”
At the same time a job fair was held in Dublin to recruit young Irish workers who might be seeking more opportunities abroad. Over 8,000 people turned out.
For centuries Irish immigrants have contributed to Canada’s economic growth. Now it is increasingly facing competition attracting Irish workers from countries like Australia and New Zealand.
In an attempt to keep up, the Canadian government is introducing some new regulations to ease the process for potential Irish immigrants, including increasing the length of work visas and raising the quota for Irish applicants of the International Experience Canada program.
The strong Irish community in Canada makes it a desirable location for many young people looking for work. Those who have in-demand skills will be at an advantage, as they already speak the language and would more easily qualify for permanent residency.
Source: Toronto Star