2012 Sees Record Number of International Students in Canada

One of the major attractions of Canadian immigration is access to Canada’s highly-rated educational system.  In 2012, for example, a record number of international students (100,000) were welcomed to Canada to attend educational programs in the country.  This represents a 60% increase over the number of foreign students welcomed to Canada in 2004. 

According to Jason Kenney, Canada’s Minister for Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism (July 26, 2013), “Attracting and retaining the best and brightest immigrants from around the world is part of the government’s commitment to grow Canada’s economy and ensure long-term prosperity.”  He further declared, “The steady growth in numbers confirms that Canada remains a destination of choice for international students because of the remarkable educational opportunities that exist in our world class institutions.”

Paul Davidson, President of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, echoed these remarks when he recently stated, “Canada’s universities are pleased to see increasing numbers of international students attracted by our reputation for excellence in education.”

Canada sees international students as an important economic resource, since they bring in about $8 billion a year to the Canadian economy, plus many international students have the work experience and education required to fill various high-demand Canada job openings.  In its attempt to retain the “best and brightest” from around the globe to help the country meet its growing labor demands, the Canadian government has created various ways for international students to be issued a Permanent Resident Visa to Canada after graduation from educational programs in the country.  These Canadian immigration programs include the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program and Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).

The Canadian government is not only seeking university graduates to help fill numerous Canada job openings.  Canadian businesses also need thousands of skilled tradespeople (i.e., carpenters, electricians, oil and gas workers, plumbers, welders, etc.).  Thus, another way to be issued a work visa to Canada is through the Provisional Nominee Program (PNP) and the new Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

Canada is experiencing a growing labor shortage as its healthy economy continues to expand at the same time that increasing numbers of older Canadian workers are retiring from the workforce.  This situation has created the “perfect storm” for Canadian immigration, since many parts of the world are still struggling economically and Canada’s government is seeking skilled foreign workers for thousands of Canadian jobs.  In fact, the Canadian government makes available a work visa to Canada for around 250,000 qualified skilled foreign workers each year!  Thus, if you’re looking for Canada job opportunities and meet the requirements for Canadian immigration, now may be the best time to apply for a work visa to Canada!  

Prince Edward Island Urgently Needs Immigrants

Business leaders from Canada’s eastern province of Prince Edward Island (PEI) are calling for increased Canadian immigration to the province to help it meet a forecast Canadian job shortage.  According to Canadian government estimates, over the next 40 years it is predicted that there will be a 25% reduction in the size of the workforce on Prince Edward Island and this may have significant consequences for the province’s economy and standard of living. With large numbers of “baby-boomers” retiring in PEI and across Canada, jobs are going unfilled since there are not always enough qualified local workers available. Many business leaders from Prince Edward Island believe that a key solution to this challenge is to attract qualified immigrant workers who have been issued a Permanent Resident Visa to Canada to move to PEI to fill these Canadian job openings. 

Prince Edward Island (PEI) is Canada’s smallest province and is located in the eastern region of the country.  In 2011, PEI only had a population of 140,204 people and its largest city, the provincial capital Charlottetown, has a population (2011) of just 32,545!  Prince Edward Island may be Canada’s smallest province, yet, it has much to offer those who have been issued a work visa to Canada.  This includes picturesque small towns that boast a high standard of living; many scenic golf courses where golfers can enjoy amazing views from fairways dotted with pine trees and putting greens that overlook crashing surf; rolling green grassy hills; beautiful beaches; historic lighthouses; and an average annual income of $62,110! And, of course, an immigrant who is granted a work visa to Canada can legally live in the country long-term, study and apply for Canadian jobs! 

This is great news for people around the globe, and especially for skilled foreign workers in countries that are still struggling economically, who would love to have a good-paying Canadian job and experience life in this scenic, stable democracy. 

written by: Canadian Visa Expert

Canadian Government “Cuts Red Tape” to Help Immigrants

With hundreds of thousands of people from around the globe applying for Canadian immigration each year, the Canadian government has been taking concrete steps to be more responsive to the needs of both Canadian businesses and immigrants.  One recent example involves foreign workers and international students who are legally living and working with a Temporary Visa to Canada and who have also applied for a Permanent Resident Visa to Canada via one of the various Canadian immigration programs, but whose Temporary Visa to Canada is getting close to expiring.  This can be a rather stressful situation to be in for foreign students and temporary workers living in Canada, and the Canadian government has recognized this and created a new program to help immigrants “cut through governmental red tape” and avoid major disruptions to their lives. 

Consequently, on December 20, 2012, the Canadian government announced a new “Bridging Open Work Permit” which can be made available immediately to eligible foreign workers and students living in Canada who have applied for a Permanent Resident Visa to Canada through its Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program, Federal Skilled MigrationProgram (FSMP),  Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and newer Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).  This new “Bridging Open Work Permit” will, as the name implied, “bridge the gap” for one year for legal temporary residents of Canada to allow more time for them to continue living and working in Canada while they wait for a final decision on their application for a Permanent Resident Visa to Canada through one of the previously mentioned Canadian immigration programs.

This is just one of the recent changes that have been made to Canadian immigration law as Canada’s government attempts to attract qualified foreign workers to meet its growing labor needs.  As Jason Kenney, Canada’s Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism stated regarding this new program, “Improvements to our immigration system like this will help Canada to attract the best and brightest from around the world – the skilled immigrants we need to fill our skilled labor shortages.”  To learn more about various Canadian immigration programs, you can visit CanadianVisaExpert website.        

Canada to Maintain Record Immigration Levels

The Canadian government recently announced that it intends to maintain record high immigration levels to Canada during 2013 in order to help facilitate economic growth in the country.  Thus, if you have been thinking about applying for a Permanent Resident Visa to Canada, now may be the perfect time! 

A major reason for this attempt to recruit qualified foreign nationals to immigrate to Canada is that the country is experiencing a severe labor shortage (due in large part to Canadians retiring).  This labor shortage is expected to last for many years in Canada, so in order to maintain its thriving economy, Canada needs to attract foreign workers with high-demand skills to fill various job vacancies.

As Canada’s Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney, declared on October 31, 2012, “Our Government’s number one priority remains economic and job growth…Newcomers bring their skills and talents, contribute to our economy and help renew our workforce so that Canada remains competitive on the world stage.”

Consequently, the Canadian government is planning on issuing a Permanent Resident Visa to Canada for some 240,000-265,000 foreign nationals in 2013.  This would be the seventh year in a row that the Canadian government has sought such high numbers of immigrants to move to Canada!  This is because, as Minister Kenney recently stated, “Immigration plays a vital role” in the “long-term prosperity” of Canada. 

Thus, in its attempt to boost immigration to Canada, the Canadian government has expanded various Canadian immigration programs for a range of foreign nationals from various backgrounds. 

For example, in order to meet the country’s growing labor needs, the Canadian government plans to increase the number of foreign temporary workers or international students already living in Canada who will be granted a Permanent Resident Visa to Canada through its “Canadian Experience Class” (CEC) program.  The goal of the Canadian government for 2013 is to issue a Permanent Resident Visa to Canada for 10,000 foreign nationals just through its CEC program alone!  As Minister Kenney stated, “Our 2013 Immigration Plan will build on our economic success by bringing in more of the world’s top talent who already have a successful track record in Canada.”  Therefore, if someone has a job in Canada as a temporary worker or is an international student with education and experience sought after in Canada, they may be able to remain long-term in Canada through the CEC program!

Furthermore, to more efficiently meet the changing labor requirements of the various provinces in Canada, the Canadian government decided in November 2012 to develop a new program in which people seeking a Permanent Resident Visa to Canada would submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Canadian government with information about their education, skills, experience, and other criteria and then the provinces could search this database for foreign workers to invite to fill the specific labor needs of their particular province.  This new program for Canadian immigration should be in place by the end of 2014.

The bottom line is that Canada is a great place to live, study and work; the country needs foreign workers to fill job vacancies in a number of career fields; and has established various routes for foreign nationals to be issued a Permanent Resident Visa to Canada.

written by: 

Canada Visa Expert