CIC NEWS
Canada is competing with other nations for international talent, and must do even more to attract and retain newcomers, says Minister of Immigration Ahmed Hussen.
Hussen made the remarks during a wide-ranging opening address on the opening day of the Conference Board of Canada’s Canadian Immigration Summit 2017: Innovating at 150 and Beyond. The summit is being held in Ottawa, just steps from the very Parliament where Canadian immigration policies are put into practice.
“Growing Canada’s population through immigration boosts economic growth and softens the economic burden of a rapidly aging population and low birth rates,” said Minister Hussen, himself an immigrant who came to Canada as a refugee at the age of 16.
“More and more countries are also using immigration as a tool for economic growth. Source countries for immigrants, such as India and China, have rapidly expanding economies, therefore creating opportunities right at home for their best young and educated citizens.
“We must ensure that the programs that we have in place in immigration will allow us to continue to win in the global race for talent . . . we have to be able to be nimble and constantly innovate, because other countries are also coming on board.”
The role of Express Entry in achieving these goals is front and centre for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the department headed by Hussen, who referred to the country’s flagship economic immigration management system as “part of our toolbox, allowing us to identify the best and brightest people.”
Express Entry is now the main driver of economic immigration to Canada, with more candidates being invited to apply for permanent residence so far this year than in the whole of 2016. Moreover, IRCC is achieving its goal of inviting more candidates based on their human capital, skills, and experience, following improvements made to the system last November.
Future changes
“We will continue to make improvements to Express Entry to deal with the realities of the global talent pool.” stated Hussen.
Whether this refers exclusively to the already announced changes due to come into effect on June 6, or whether it also implies other improvements that may be in the pipeline, remains to be seen. In any event, other IRCC initiatives may have a windfall gain for the Express Entry system. Minister Hussen cited the new Global Talent Stream, which falls under the government’s Global Skills Strategy, as a case in point.
This temporary work stream, due to be rolled out next month, sets a two-week processing time for the delivery of work permits for workers in certain occupations. In his speech, Hussen cited these workers as a future source of Express Entry applicants, as many of them may wish to remain in Canada permanently.
The minister also mentioned that pilot programs, if successful, may be extended and replicated across the country. The recently-launched Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP), for example, has shown early signs of success. More than 250 employers across the Atlantic provinces have attained designated status, and IRCC expects to take in 2,000 newcomers, plus their families, through this stream each year for its initial three-year duration.
“This is the only immigration program that is completely led by employers, who get to recruit intermediate- and high-skilled workers in all the four Atlantic provinces . . . employers have been enthusiastically embracing this program,” said Hussen, who also noted that employers will be involved in the settlement process. In return, these employers are not required to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) when hiring under the AIPP.
The minister admitted his hope that by involving the employers and settlement organizations, Atlantic Canada can retain more immigrants. In contrast to Ontario and Alberta, which boast retention rates of immigrants upwards of 90 percent, only around 60 percent of newcomers to Atlantic Canada remain in their original destination province.
“The integration and settlement of newcomers is critically important, because the faster we can do that, the faster that those newcomers can get into the labour market and help us grow as a country and contribute to our common prosperity.”
The minister said that Canada is looking at international models of settlement and integration, such as the German model, which combines work and language training.
“We have to do better”
Though Mr Hussen has only been in the job since January, he has stamped his personal authority and style on the department. In doing so, he recognizes its shortcomings and potential areas for improvement.
“We have to do better,” he stated. “Putting our clients at the heart of everything we do will ensure that everything else works out. If we look at the client as being central to everything we do, processing times will become a priority for us. We will have to drop processing times across all streams of immigration. And we want every Canadian and every foreign national who navigates our website to have a pleasant experience. We don’t want them to walk away frustrated.
“We want anyone who calls our number not to be put on hold for a long time, and to get real answers to their real questions. We want to make sure that filling the application forms for any stream of immigration does not require a PhD. We want to make sure that people are kept in the loop for each and every stage of their application process.”
While making these comments, the minister made it clear that IRCC is already making progress. For example, processing times for the spousal/common-law partner sponsorship program have been slashed by more than half, to a current time of under 12 months. Renewals of Permanent Residence Cards have also been reduced from up to 18 months to just 54 days, and the department aims to get this down to 14 days.
International students were also given their due by the minister, who noted that applications to study in Canada from Indian nationals were way up year-over-year, but that Australia, a competitor country in terms of international education, has more Mexican students than Canada, even though Canada and Mexico share a hemisphere and a continent.
Canada issued 367,000 study permits in 2016, a 22 percent increase over the previous year, but there is room to welcome even more international students, according to the minister. Permanent integration of these students is also a top priority.
A contrast with the world
IRCC’s client service improvement goals are all the more pertinent given that the Liberal government — globally recognized as being pro-immigration, particularly given a global cooling of attitudes towards immigration generally — has increased immigration targets over the past two years.
This target may be increased again, though the minister did not mention a specific figure. Speaking exclusively to CICNews following his address, Hussen stated that “we have started having national consultations on next year’s immigration levels, and whatever businesses, ordinary Canadians, NGOs, and provincial governments come up with on the number, but also on the right mix, we will take a look at that. We are currently having those conversations.”
These kinds of public-private consultations on immigration may not be the norm globally, but then again Canada is a stand-out country when it comes to immigration and how it perceives integration. To drive home the point, the minister reminded the assembled audience that Canada has “citizenship based on values, not based on ethnicity or blood origin.”
More than three quarters of immigrants to Canada become naturalized citizens.
To find out if you are eligible to immigrate to Canada through one of the many immigration programs, please fill out a free assessment form.
© 2017 CICNews All Rights Reserved
JABBIR ALI says
Immigration enquiry for PR process
Indra Moffett says
I would like to sponsor my sister and family from the USA to come to Canada. What are my options?
Suk says
Canada already has lot of highly educated and talented immigrants most of whom are unemployed and underemployed. If you want to attract you have to treat them well first by giving value to their talent and respecting them as to who they are. The employment landscape in Canada is highly discriminating. Canadian employers do not hire skilled immigrant by some excuse or other like canadian education or canadian market experience. Even the public agencies are no different. Changing policy won’t change anything. The pressing need is to change mindset.
Aniel banarsie says
I always wanted to live in canada,
With my family.
Muhammad Asghar says
Very very nice canada
Bindu Menon says
On the contrary to this what I can see is that the these universities and professors of various departments are struggling to get funds for their research there in Canada.
Whenever we contacted them to get an admission to the research based masters program they denied the entry every time, showing the reason that they are not in a position to accommodate an international student due to lack of funds. Though we were able to secure a conditional acceptance, it didn’t get finalized due to lack of funds. And this is not the case of one or two universities, professors of many of the universities showed the same inability which is due to lack of funds.
And I came to know this is a real fact, when I got a chance to go through many of their tweets, in which they mentioned how they are struggling (some of them explained in detail how they are arranging meetings with various authorities) to accumulate these funds.
It seems for the time being, international students are being largely accepted for only diploma level course and not for the real higher studies like post graduation and pHD in Canada.
Ripal says
I have completed master degree in commerce field and i want to apply in m.phil..is it possible to get student visa without ielts?
Naveenkumar says
PTE Academic – will it be accepted as English language test for Canada PR process in near future?
Monique says
Myself and my husband have a combine Score of 412 and we have been in Canada for the past 3years 10 months because of his job can we apply for our PR Cards.
Kris G says
When is the C-6 bill being implemented
DEEPAK KUMAR says
Canadian government has announced that on arrival visa will be provided to Indians…
Is that true!!
Simone Martin5 says
I have been trying to bring my husband here from Egypt for the past year, they just keep putting more blocks in his way each time and tripling the cost to put his request in, he already has a 6 hour drive and the cost of his stay in Cairo, and because they have no levy on wages his job pays him a paltry wage which he can’t save anything and therefore I have to substitute what ever he needs. If something isn’t done soon to that office in Cairo (they are very rude and will not let him speak to the person involved with his request. ) I will have to sell my home and move there, we are Muslims and take our marriage seriously so there is no questions about whether we will stay married, I think he should be able to apply for IRCC, He is young and willing to work at what ever there is available and improve his education by working and paying for it himself. He at this time has his tourism and hotel license, and works as a sales person in the market place in his home town. Tourism is almost nil in Egypt. Please I beg for help, I don’t want to leave my country but I will for my husband,,,,,,
MUHAMMAD SARFARAZ says
Canada is most beautiful country
Amritpal singh gill says
Very nice in canada. your service is very fast.your running in fast..thanks
Dinesh Patel says
My wife family citizen in canada .we are indian citizen currently stay in south africa. Our dream is to live in canada. So please advise for vissa . Relative vissa we can apply or ?
jeet says
sort out pgp program pls. very disappointing results. what about space filled by non eligible people.How that will be filled? why income needed for 3 years ? coming family will live in present and future not in past.what about people waiting from years for single parent to join them. A lot of confusion. why playing with emotions?
Marianne says
If you are being sponsored under the spousal/common-law partnership sponsor program , paid for extensions to remain in Canada whilst the application is being processed and also paid for a work permit and CIC has confirmed receipt of your application, granting temporary status of a given period, how long after does it take to receive a work permit?
ILYAS AHMED says
I want to migrate to Canada from u.s.a
Serge says
Do something with Quebec’s Ministère (MIDI). They are totally way off…
odi says
sir i did IELTS exam,listen 6.0,speaking 6.0,writing 6.0,reading 3.0.Total band 5.0.Did i meet up to the Canadian Immigrant cut of mark. second do i need to know somebody before i can process the Immigrant.
Sandeepani says
I have already applied via express entry (work) . Awaiting for positive answer.Would I be able to get it?
Ahmad says
While all these changes are great, I don’t know why immigration Canada does not make any changes to Citizenship – to decrease the number of years a PR holder can become a citizen. So many people including myself have been affected by the changes that the conservative government made. The new liberal gov promised to revise those changes, but apparently nothing changed so far. I hope the Minister can take a look at that as well so that everybody can become a PR within 3 years of reeving their PR status.
pretty betty says
wow interesting i want my family to be part
Surjit singh says
Kindly implement dependent children rule from august 2014 . One side you tell family reunion . Parents their children live behind , what they will do
Mary marthins says
This is a good one from hussein. God bless Canada. Also refugee claimants that are rejected shouldn’t be left out.
Yahia dalila says
I’m Algerian I have a licence in mathematics and I’m a teacher of mathematics in secondary school , I like life and travel in Canada please say me haw I do thanks .
Aliou Sekoura Coulibaly says
Hello my name is Aliou Sekoura Coulibaly I am in Ukraine study, I just finish my studies in international economic relation. I would like to immigrate to Canada to seek the doctorate. I’m Malian
Henoch MBOKO says
Canada already has lot of highly educated and talented immigrants most of whom are unemployed and underemployed. If you want to attract you have to treat them well first by giving value to their talent and respecting them as to who they are. The employment landscape in Canada is highly discriminating. Canadian employers do not hire skilled immigrant by some excuse or other like canadian education or canadian market experience. Even the public agencies are no different. Changing policy won’t change anything. The pressing need is to change mindset.
Asif says
Dear
Just wanted to know when job in demand category for Saskatchewan province will starts to take and accept applications. Already opened twice Express Entry pool category. Waiting since January.
Osama helmy says
I want to know if I can be one of global talant person
Abdullah Murad says
Hi
I would like to know about process how to immigrate to Canada.i have done ielts with overall 6 bands
Jairam says
I also want a reply on the same question. Are there any chances that other English language tests such as PTE Academic and TOEFL are made part of immigration in the near future.