In 2008, a new stream of Canadian immigration will be available to certain temporary foreign workers and international students with Canadian degrees and Canadian work experience. First announced in the 2007 budget, the Canadian Experience Class will help address the country’s labour force needs by better focusing on these candidates for Canadian Permanent Residency. Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s goal for 2008 is to admit between 10,000 and 12,000 under the new Canadian Experience category of immigration.

Tabled earlier this month, the 2007 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration tells the story of Canadian immigration in 2006, provides a mid-year update about Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) activity in 2007, and describes plans and targets for 2008.

Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) are now a key element to Canadian immigration - and with good reason. Upon arrival, most nominees already have a Canadian job. They are therefore poised to make a speedy entry into the Canadian workforce and thus are likely to transition into Canadian society smoothly. In addition, PNP’s allow provinces to hand select the immigrants that can fill regional skill shortages, allowing them to exert more control over provincial economic growth.

Canadian provinces are stepping up their efforts to integrate newcomers into the workforce. Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario have announced increased funding for provincial foreign credential recognition services, to facilitate the placement of internationally-trained skilled workers and professionals in labour-tight industries.

More and more provinces are making lists of Regional Occupations Under Pressure, which help employers in labour-tight industries to bring in foreign workers quickly. Employers with job vacancies in listed occupations face less stringent requirements under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

From the day Permanent Residents land in Canada, they have nearly all the rights and obligations of Canadian citizens. Aside from the right to vote, a Permanent Resident who landed in Canada yesterday and a native-born Canadian pay the same taxes and in return have the same expectation to services from the government. That is, unless they get sick.