After cross-Canada consultationsand a recent national round table with business, industry, labour, and non-governmental organizations, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) MinisterDiane Finley has announced that the instructions which will govern the handling of Federal Skilled Worker applicants will be released this fall.
They will only apply to individuals who submitted their applications on or after February 27, 2008.
The instructions will be based on Canada’s labour market priorities. Having also consulted with Human Resources and Social Development Canada (ESDC), CIChas been taking stock of which occupational sectors are most in need of skilled workers across Canada. It plans to fast-track the immigration process forapplicants who can respond to these labour market needs. Applications that do not fall into the selected occupations will either be held for processing ata later date or returned outright.
These changes follow on 2008 budget commitments to modernize Canada’s immigration system. $109 million over five years has been allocated to reducing waittimes for new applicants, reducing the current backlog of applications, and better responding to Canada labour market needs through immigration.
To deal with the current backlog, CIC plans to increase capacity and efficiency at Canadian immigration visa offices. It will also be asking applicants atvisa offices who face the longest wait times to reconfirm their immigration intentions.
CIC has begun recording occupational information of applicants in the backlog to see which can be referred to Provincial Nomination Programs for priority processing.
Emphasizing the importance of recognizing internationally-obtained credentials to provincial and territorial stakeholders, CIC aims to ensure that theforeign skilled workers who receive priority processing on their immigration applications will be able to transition into the work force quickly uponarrival.
“We can’t prioritize occupations and professions in demand if there isn’t the necessary support and training available to help newcomers begin work intheir chosen field,” said Minister Finley.
The Minister stressed that these instructions will not affect the government’s objectives of refugee protection and family reunification.