Canada focusing on initiatives to alleviate labor force shortages in 2008

To meet the diverse skill requirements of an expanding and dynamic Canadian economy, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is focusing on various initiatives in its strategy for 2008 to alleviate immediate and regional skills shortages and the longer-term needs of the labour market.

From this year, a new immigration category under Economic Class will be available to certain temporary foreign workers and international students with Canadian degrees and Canadian work experience, to apply for permanent residence from within Canada. First announced in 2007 budget, the Canadian Experience Class will help address the immediate shortage of workers with specific trade skills by adding up to 12,000 workers from the talent pool of international students in its first year of implementation. Canadian Experience Class is part of national strategy on international students and key element of government’s long-term immigration plan.

Other considerable initiatives to address the specific and generalized labor shortages for 2008 include improving the hiring process of temporary foreign workers, expanding the provincial nominee programs, increasing the services of Foreign Credential Referral Office (FCRO), increasing the admittance of new permanent residents, fostering family reunification and honoring the humanitarian principels of refugee protection.

In 2008, the government plans to admit between 240,000 and 265,000 new permanent residents. A breakdown of this target level shows that maximum of 70,000 federal skilled workers, 28,000 Quebec selected skilled workers, 13,000 business immigrants, 9,000 live-in caregivers, 22,000 provincial/territorial nominees and 12,000 Canadian Experience holders will be admitted in the Economic Class. Under Family Class, 52,000 spouses, partners and children while 19,000 parents and grandparents would be able to admit in Canada.

Each year, Canada protects many thousands of people through the in-Canada refugee protection system and the resettlement of refugees selected abroad. The 2008 plan also maintains strong refugee admissions by allowing maximum of 31,800 permanent residents in this category. Up to an additional 8,000 new permanent residents could also be accepted for humanitarian and compassionate reasons.

The federal government has also committed an additional $1.3 billion in settlement funding over five years, and $342 million per year ongoing, to help newcomers settle successfully upon arrival and integrate fully over the longer term. Settlement initiatives for 2008 include, but not limited to, improving the current range of settlement programs and services as well as those provided by provincial and community partners, and ensuring that the process of acquiring Canadian citizenship sets a solid foundation for newcomer integration into Canadian society over the long term.