the CanadaVisa Team - 23 July, 2015
A detailed report on Canada’s immigration policies, and their impact on the Canadian economic and social landscape, was released on Wednesday by the Maytree Foundation, a Canadian policy research organization.
The report, authored by Naomi Alboim of the Maytree Foundation, details the findings of a year-long study by academics, governments and immigrant settlement workers, and presents 15 recommendations for adjusting Canadian immigration policy to accommodate Canada’s long-term economic needs.
“Canada’s economic immigration program has evolved - and should continue to evolve - in response to changing labour markets, immigration patterns, demographic imperatives and regional issues,” said Alboim.
The study was conducted to review the impact of Canadian Immigration programs on the Canadian economy and to propose improvements to immigration and settlement programs to ensure that Canada remains a leading destination for skilled immigrants.
“Immigration to Canada is fundamental to the nation’s social and economic well-being. Without it the economy will not thrive and the population will not grow,” Alboim said.
The recommendations set out in the report include making adjustments to the Federal Skilled Worker category that will allow more skilled immigrants to permanently settle in Canada, and create a national framework for Provincial Nominee Programs that will complement the Federal Skilled Worker program. Another recommendation is to facilitate links between applicants and Canadian employers.
In addition, the report recommends monitoring both the process of recruiting temporary foreign workers and their working conditions to ensure that their employment in Canada is successful.
As well as recommendations for changes to immigration policies, the report suggests continued focus on settlement and integration will ensure that newcomers can successfully integrate into the labour market. These include expanded information and services overseas, broader access for immigrants to labour market services, expanded eligibility for federally-funded settlement services and increased funding for creative labour market supports such as mentoring and enhanced language training.
“Experience has shown that early investments in training, mentoring and work internships can lead to higher earnings and help immigrants contribute to our society and our economy,” said Alboim.
“These investments are not insignificant. However, they pale in comparison to the contributions that immigrants and subsequent generations will make to Canada,” she said.
The Maytree Foundation is a privately-funded charitable foundation that studies policy issues with respect to immigration, diversity, integration and building civic communities. Naomi Alboim is a Senior Fellow at the Maytree Foundation as well as Adjunct Professor and Co-Chair, Policy Forum at the School of Policy Studies, Queen’s University.
