the CanadaVisa Team - 20 July, 2015
In a new policy paper, Ontario Progressive Conservative (PC) Party leader John Tory revealed his party’s plan to assist skilled immigrants arriving in the province.
In the paper, titled A Time for Action, Tory suggests a strategy focused on ending underemployment of professionals who arrive in Ontario by removing barriers to entering their fields. The report also discusses increasing efficiencies and flexibilities in the system. "We face looming and mounting skills shortages across a wide range of professions. For us not to do everything we can to quickly integrate skilled newcomers into their trained professions is a loss to all of us - to our productivity, to our competitiveness and to our quality of life, not to mention the quality of life of those we've invited to Canada," said Tory at a press conference.
A key component of the policy involves working with regulatory agencies along with universities and colleges to accredit workers while they are going through the process, prior to arrival. The plan also proposes an expansion of access to student loan programs for skilled immigrants who want to upgrade or bridge their professional training. Also in the realm of education, the paper included a 10% increase in funding for language training.
The policy paper included as well measures to better adapt immigration policies to needs in the province's economy. Tory recommended a program to fast-track immigrant professionals who agreed to work in under-served areas, such as the province's North. It also suggests greater flexibility in defining priority skills based on labour market needs.
Tory's PC party form the official opposition in the Ontario legislature. This policy paper should not be confused with Bill 124, currently before committees in the Ontario legislature, which was proposed by the governing Ontario Liberal Party. Having recently switched to a fixed election dates, the province of Ontario will go to the polls next on October 4th of next year.
