The Government of Ontario launches new online immigration services.

Ontario has officially launched two new immigration-centric websites. The online resources facilitate both settlement and career services, respectively.

Ontarioimmigration.ca welcomes Canadian Newcomers to Ontario and provides them with comprehensive settlement information. The new online service is intended to help ease the transition for over 120,000 newly-landed immigrants that settle in Canada 's most populous province each and every year.

"The [Ontario] immigration website is a great way for newcomers to learn more about our city, our schools and our services before and after they arrive," Greater Sudbury Mayor Dave Courtemanche said in a written statement.

The website features helpful advice regarding living, working and studying in Ontario . It also includes details about starting a business, and practicing in a trade or profession. Immigrants can choose to download important forms such as immigration and driver's license applications on the site.

Skillsinternational.ca, yet another project partially funded by the Government of Ontario, allows prospective employers and skilled Canadian immigrants to find each other online. The website is the first of its kind in Canada.

Employers are able to use the free service to post positions on the website and the system will automatically match and rank the available candidates that best meet the employer's specified criteria. If a match is found, employers will receive a notification email containing the candidate's that fit the job profile.

"This [website] is part of our regional distribution approach. There are tremendous opportunities across the province," Ontario Immigration Minister Michael Colle announced. He applauds the new service as yet another way to help the province "regionalize" immigration to benefit smaller communities outside the boundaries of the metropolitan areas of Ontario.

The website is a not-for-profit project aimed at bridging the divide between Canada's growing population of skilled immigrants and prospective Canadian employers. The website has also partnered with Newcomer agencies across the province of Ontario to provide "employment preparation programs". These agencies will post pre-screened resumes of qualified applicants who are ready and able to begin working in their profession.