The federal government is gearing up to welcome a record number of immigrants to Canada by next year, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages James Moore announced yesterday.
Under the Provincial Nominees Program, one of the country’s largest economic immigration programs, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) aims to bring in 42,000 to 45,000 new immigrants by the end of 2012.
The eight-year-old program will grant provinces and territories a more active role in selecting immigrants by allowing them to nominate individuals, spouses and dependants for permanent provincial residence that will benefit labour-markets needs or goals.
“We are committed to working with provinces and helping new Canadians find the work that they need, and we’re committed to making sure we have a diversity of these programs to show the flexibility that is necessary to meet our labour-market needs,” said Moore.
British Columbia is expecting to bring in 5,000 immigrants this year.
Iain Black, president of the Vancouver Board of Trade, noted that there will be an increase in demand for immigrants in skilled labour and the sciences in the coming years.
The PNP program, which began in 2003, accelerates the permanent-resident application process for skilled and experienced workers who hope to permanently settle in B.C.
Local news from metronews.ca/vancouver
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