2011 Levels Consultations with Stakeholders Summary Report
Overview and Context
The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) requires that the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration table in Parliament by November 1 of each year, an Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration. The Annual Report contains the Annual Levels Plan, which establishes the total number of permanent resident admissions Canada expects to welcome in the upcoming calendar year.
As part of the development of the Annual Levels Plan, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) consults with the provinces, territories and key stakeholders annually to ensure the Levels Plan is informed by and responsive to changing trends and dynamics, while supporting Canada's economic, social and humanitarian objectives.
Over 700 national and regional stakeholders – including employers, unions, academic and non-government organizations, as well as settlement service providers, ethnic and immigrant-serving organizations – from across Canada were sent an invitation to participate in an online consultation in August 2010. The invitation set out the purpose of the consultation process, provided an overview of levels planning considerations and included a background document to assist stakeholders in responding to the consultation questions (see Annex A – Immigration Levels Planning: Balancing Priorities to Meet Canada's Immigration Objectives). The consultation questions sought stakeholders' experience with the current level of immigration, views on immigration objectives, factors that may influence levels planning and their feedback on the balance between economic immigrants and non-economic immigrants (see Annex B – Stakeholder Consultation Questionnaire).
Summary of Responses
From the over 125 responses received, close to a third were from immigration consultants/lawyers that were operating in the province of Quebec. This was followed by respondents from community organizations operating in the region of Ontario/Nunavut.
Current Level of Immigration
Stakeholders indicated a generally positive view of the current immigration level and recognized that immigration can help address Canada's economic needs by sustaining the labour market pool and population growth. As one stakeholder notes “the human and financial capital brought by new immigrants have contributed tremendously to the economic well being of this country now and the future.” Others highlight the strength that diversity brings to Canada and “...the richness from the blend of the cultures.”
Some stakeholders highlighted settlement challenges, foreign credential recognition and the eligible occupation list as areas of concern. As one stakeholder notes:
According to all research, immigrants are the source of labour force replacement in Canada. We need skilled newcomers to energize and populate our workplaces. Although many newcomers and immigrants are ready and willing to contribute to the Canadian economy, our policies and programs are not always sufficient to accommodate the needs of qualified workers. That's the negative side of the current levels of immigration.
Immigration Objectives and Factors
The Levels Plan must balance several objectives and factors while adhering to operational constraints that limit the number of admissions that can be achieved within a given year. Sometimes, compromises may be required.
Stakeholders reported that supporting long-term economic growth was a very important immigration objective for Canada. This was followed by meeting current labour market needs and supporting population maintenance/growth. One stakeholder remarked that:
We need a growing population and economic growth to sustain and ensure our long term social and economic prosperity. Achieving this priority will better position Canada to support the objectives of family reunification and protecting refugees.
Maintaining Canada's humanitarian tradition and reuniting families are immigration objectives that stakeholders continue to view as fundamental to Canada's immigration system. Stakeholders were also supportive of a balanced refugee system. Promoting regionalization was the least important immigration objective reported by respondents.
Respondents acknowledged that all the factors listed – immigrant economic issues, impact on host population, basic needs of immigrants, integration issues, sustainability of immigration and resources issues – are of significant importance when establishing immigration levels. One stakeholder noted that “some factors need to be fulfilled in order to fulfil the others (i.e. meet economic needs so that immigrants have the time and resources to integrate into Canadian society and communities.)” Particular factors that stakeholders ranked as important included immigrant economic issues and basic needs of immigrants. On the contrary, stakeholders ranked resource issues as the least important factor.
Immigration Projections and Balance
When provided with a medium growth scenario based on Statistics Canada population projections, the majority of stakeholders stated that their above-mentioned ranking of factors would remain the same but noted that the allocation of resources would have to increase in line with the growth scenario.
Generally, stakeholders felt that given the medium growth scenario, the current balance between economic class, family class and protected persons class should not change noting the importance of family reunification in support of the economic class immigrants.
Other Comments by Stakeholders
In addition to the responses outlined above, stakeholders suggested the broadening of the Federal Skilled Worker eligible occupation list, additional support for settlement and integration services, as well as calls for faster processing of immigration applications and an increase in the investor class. Continuing to support diversity, encourage opportunity and promote equity are further comments captured by the stakeholder consultation questionnaire.
Conclusion
Overall, stakeholders report that economic factors are primary considerations when establishing immigration levels and objectives. These include support for long term economic growth, meeting current labour market needs as well as supporting population maintenance and is consistent with the responses received on the online consultation the previous year.
CIC will continue discussions with provincial and territorial officials responsible for immigration as well as key immigration stakeholders with a view to balancing immigration objectives and exploring long-term immigration planning for the future.
Overview and Context
The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) requires that the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration table in Parliament by November 1 of each year, an Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration. The Annual Report contains the Annual Levels Plan, which establishes the total number of permanent resident admissions Canada expects to welcome in the upcoming calendar year.
As part of the development of the Annual Levels Plan, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) consults with the provinces, territories and key stakeholders annually to ensure the Levels Plan is informed by and responsive to changing trends and dynamics, while supporting Canada's economic, social and humanitarian objectives.
Over 700 national and regional stakeholders – including employers, unions, academic and non-government organizations, as well as settlement service providers, ethnic and immigrant-serving organizations – from across Canada were sent an invitation to participate in an online consultation in August 2010. The invitation set out the purpose of the consultation process, provided an overview of levels planning considerations and included a background document to assist stakeholders in responding to the consultation questions (see Annex A – Immigration Levels Planning: Balancing Priorities to Meet Canada's Immigration Objectives). The consultation questions sought stakeholders' experience with the current level of immigration, views on immigration objectives, factors that may influence levels planning and their feedback on the balance between economic immigrants and non-economic immigrants (see Annex B – Stakeholder Consultation Questionnaire).
Summary of Responses
From the over 125 responses received, close to a third were from immigration consultants/lawyers that were operating in the province of Quebec. This was followed by respondents from community organizations operating in the region of Ontario/Nunavut.
Current Level of Immigration
Stakeholders indicated a generally positive view of the current immigration level and recognized that immigration can help address Canada's economic needs by sustaining the labour market pool and population growth. As one stakeholder notes “the human and financial capital brought by new immigrants have contributed tremendously to the economic well being of this country now and the future.” Others highlight the strength that diversity brings to Canada and “...the richness from the blend of the cultures.”
Some stakeholders highlighted settlement challenges, foreign credential recognition and the eligible occupation list as areas of concern. As one stakeholder notes:
According to all research, immigrants are the source of labour force replacement in Canada. We need skilled newcomers to energize and populate our workplaces. Although many newcomers and immigrants are ready and willing to contribute to the Canadian economy, our policies and programs are not always sufficient to accommodate the needs of qualified workers. That's the negative side of the current levels of immigration.
Immigration Objectives and Factors
The Levels Plan must balance several objectives and factors while adhering to operational constraints that limit the number of admissions that can be achieved within a given year. Sometimes, compromises may be required.
Stakeholders reported that supporting long-term economic growth was a very important immigration objective for Canada. This was followed by meeting current labour market needs and supporting population maintenance/growth. One stakeholder remarked that:
We need a growing population and economic growth to sustain and ensure our long term social and economic prosperity. Achieving this priority will better position Canada to support the objectives of family reunification and protecting refugees.
Maintaining Canada's humanitarian tradition and reuniting families are immigration objectives that stakeholders continue to view as fundamental to Canada's immigration system. Stakeholders were also supportive of a balanced refugee system. Promoting regionalization was the least important immigration objective reported by respondents.
Respondents acknowledged that all the factors listed – immigrant economic issues, impact on host population, basic needs of immigrants, integration issues, sustainability of immigration and resources issues – are of significant importance when establishing immigration levels. One stakeholder noted that “some factors need to be fulfilled in order to fulfil the others (i.e. meet economic needs so that immigrants have the time and resources to integrate into Canadian society and communities.)” Particular factors that stakeholders ranked as important included immigrant economic issues and basic needs of immigrants. On the contrary, stakeholders ranked resource issues as the least important factor.
Immigration Projections and Balance
When provided with a medium growth scenario based on Statistics Canada population projections, the majority of stakeholders stated that their above-mentioned ranking of factors would remain the same but noted that the allocation of resources would have to increase in line with the growth scenario.
Generally, stakeholders felt that given the medium growth scenario, the current balance between economic class, family class and protected persons class should not change noting the importance of family reunification in support of the economic class immigrants.
Other Comments by Stakeholders
In addition to the responses outlined above, stakeholders suggested the broadening of the Federal Skilled Worker eligible occupation list, additional support for settlement and integration services, as well as calls for faster processing of immigration applications and an increase in the investor class. Continuing to support diversity, encourage opportunity and promote equity are further comments captured by the stakeholder consultation questionnaire.
Conclusion
Overall, stakeholders report that economic factors are primary considerations when establishing immigration levels and objectives. These include support for long term economic growth, meeting current labour market needs as well as supporting population maintenance and is consistent with the responses received on the online consultation the previous year.
CIC will continue discussions with provincial and territorial officials responsible for immigration as well as key immigration stakeholders with a view to balancing immigration objectives and exploring long-term immigration planning for the future.