2012: Canada’s Record-Breaking Year for Immigration

2012 was a record-breaking year for Canadian immigration programs across the board, according to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). From visitors to immigrants, workers to students, Canada continued its tradition of welcoming hundreds of thousands of temporary and permanent residents from around the world. Last year continued a 7-year trend of successive record-breaking, welcoming over 257,000 new permanent residents alone. Here is a summary of some other initiatives that in 2012 smashed previous records:

Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

Almost 10,000 permanent resident visas were issued through the CEC last year, making it Canada’s fastest-growing immigration program. Issuances exceeded the government’s target of 7,000 by 34%, marking an increase of over 50% from 2011.

India, China, Philippines Receive Record Visa Issuances

Canada receives its highest numbers of immigrants from China, India, and the Philippines. In 2012, all three countries saw the numbers of visas issued to nationals skyrocket.

Almost 33,000 permanent resident visas were issued to Chinese applicants, in addition to 235,000 visitor visas and over 25,000 study visas. These numbers made China the largest source country for Canadian immigration overall.

The Philippines was the second largest source country for Canadian immigration last year. Almost 33,000 new permanent resident visas were granted to Philippine nationals, as well as 44,000 visitor visas and 941 study permits.

India was the third largest source country for Canadian immigration in 2012. Indians received almost 29,000 permanent resident visas, 130,000 visitor visas, and 13,000 study permits.

International Students

For the first time in Canadian history, over 100,000 study permits were issued to international students. This represents a 60% increase from permit issuances since 2004.

Parent and Grandparent Super Visa

Since its launch in December 2011, the Super Visa has seen a steep rise in popularity, with more than 15,000 visa issuances to date. At present, over 1,000 visas are issued to the parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents every month.

Visitor Visas

The Canadian government approved almost 1 million visitor visas last year. This astounding number represents a 40% increase since 2004. Visa popularity has risen in part due to the fact that multiple-entry visa lengths have been extended from five to ten years for eligible applicants.

The Overseas Orientation Program

Through the Overseas Orientation Program, Canadian Permanent Residents may now avail themselves of the opportunity to prepare for their settlement in Canada before arriving in the country. The program has to date graduated 20,000 participants.

“Canada’s record-breaking year is further proof of the country’s commitment to welcoming individuals from around the world, whether for a short stay or for a lifetime,” said Attorney David Cohen. “I expect 2013 will continue this upward trajectory.”

CIC has already announced its immigration goals for 2013, indicating a sustained interest in keeping immigration levels high. The introduction of new programs, as well as the overhaul ofpopular immigration classes, will ensure that those who enter Canada do so with the full support of the Canadian government and the Canadian people.

Source: http://www.cicnews.com/2013/03/2012-canadas-recordbreaking-year-immigration-032346.html

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"Where the Jobs Are” in Canada

DSC_0120 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Source: http://www.cicnews.com/2013/03/jobs-canada-032356.html

Public discussion has been growing over a report recently published by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). The report indicates a growing divide between the number of high-vacancy job fields in Canada and the skills of the Canadian workforce. To combat labour shortages, Canadian employers and government officials are increasingly looking beyond their own borders to find the employees they need. In addition, the government is taking ambitious efforts to secure skilled foreign workers, on temporary or permanent bases, to close employment gaps across the country.

In its report, CIBC targeted 25 professions that are most in need of qualified employees. They are as follows:

• Managers in Engineering, Architecture, Science and Info Systems
• Managers in Health, Education, Social and Community Services
• Managers in Construction and Transportation
• Auditors, Accountants and Investment Professionals
• Human Resources and Business Service Professionals
• Professional Occupations in Natural and Applied Science
• Physical Science Professionals
• Life Science Professionals
• Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Chemical Engineers
• Other Engineers
• Professional Occupations in Health
• Physicians, Dentists and Veterinarians
• Optometrists, Chiropractors and Other Health Diagnosing and Treating Professionals
• Pharmacists, Dietitians and Nutritionists
• Therapy and Assessment Professionals
• Nurse Supervisors and Registered Nurses
• Technical and Related Occupations in Health
• Medical Technologists and Technicians (Except Dental Health)
• Technical Occupations in Dental Health Care
• Other Technical Occupations in Health Care (Except Dental)
• Psychologists, Social Workers, Counsellors, Clergy and Probation Officers
• Supervisors, Mining, Oil and Gas
• Underground Miners, Oil and Gas Drillers and Related Workers
• Supervisors in Manufacturing
• Supervisors, Processing Occupations

These occupations are all considered skilled work by the Government of Canada. In general, these professions fall in the fields of healthcare, mining, and manufacturing or business services. When added together, these fields account for 21%, or about one-fifth, of jobs in Canada.

Canada’s need for qualified workers varies greatly from province to province. As demonstrated by the chart below, the need is most defined in the country’s rapidly-developing interior. It is reflective of Canada’s booming natural resources economy.

Source: CIBC 

Canadian employment is still on the rise. In fact, employment grew by 51,000 in February 2013 alone. However, despite these increases, the country is unable to fill shortages in the fields listed above with home-grown talent alone. Analysts have theorized that this lack of qualified Canadians is the result, in part, of individuals pursuing education and training in professions that are experiencing a labour surplus. These include occupations in the fields of clerical work, food services, recreational guides, personal services and sales. Due to this surplus, individuals in these fields may see greater unemployment as well as wages slightly below average.

By contrast, those who pursue employment in one of the above targeted professions have a high likelihood of employment. At present, unemployment in this pool is a mere 1%. Additionally, wages in these fields have been rising steadily at a rate of about 4% per year.

The Canadian government has made efforts to offset employee shortages through a forward-thinking immigration system. Individuals with the education and skills most needed in Canada will find that programs for both temporary and permanent residence have been tailored to suit their profiles. Some recent immigration changes intended to bring in the workers Canada include:

• The popular Federal Skilled Worker Program has overhauled its selection criteria to better target those individuals who have a high likelihood of succeeding upon arrival in Canada. Citizenship and Immigration Canada hopes to accept over 50,000 new permanent residents through this program alone in 2013.
• A new class of immigration, the Federal Skilled Trades Class, has been created to more efficiently bring tradespersons to Canada.
• Discussions are currently in place regarding the introduction of a new immigration system, known as an Expression of Interest system, that will directly connect Canadian employers and government officials with skilled workers interested in immigrating to Canada.

More than ever, Canada needs immigrants to fill the jobs that Canadians are unable to perform. These jobs are for the most part in well-paying fields with high wages and employment. Individuals with skills in these fields may find themselves well-placed to take advantage of Canada’s many options for temporary or permanent residency.

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Strong Immigration Helps Canada Meet Labour Needs

Author: Andrew Heaton
Source: http://designbuildsource.ca/2013/03/strong-immigration-helps-canada-meet-labour-needs/

As huge oil and resource construction projects continue to soak up labour, immigrants continue to pour into Canada as the nation recorded its highest sustained level of immigration on record for the seventh consecutive year last year.

Last month, Citizenship and Immigration Canada announced the nation had welcomed 257,515 permanent residents in 2012, well within the government’s target of 240,000 to 265,000 new Canadians for the year.

Each year since 2006, the nation has admitted an average of around a quarter of a million immigrants, with the country averaging around 30,250 more admissions per year in the seven-year period from 2006 to 2012 than in the previous decade (1996 until 2005.)

Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney said Canada’s immigration rates are among the highest of any country.

“Canada has been welcoming not only the highest sustained level of immigrants in Canadian history, we also have, on a per-capita basis, among the highest immigration rates in the world,” Kenney said, adding that the government is moving toward a more effective immigration system. “Immigration is a key part of the government’s plan to grow our economy, spur job creation, and ensure long-term prosperity for all Canadians.”

In many sectors in the nation’s economy, immigration has been highlighted as one of the strategies needed to ease help ease domestic labour shortages in construction, engineering and other areas. These shortages are typically caused by the retirements of those in the baby boomer generation and the mass volume of resource development projects on the horizon.

Shortages are particularly acute in construction, where the Construction Sector Council says the industry will need an extra 319,000 workers by 2020 – 100,000 to meet increased demand and 219,000 to replace those expected to retire.

Furthermore, in the resource industry alone, a report from the Conference Board of Canada predicts investment in oil sands alone will create demand for 880,000 person years of construction labour over the next 25 years.

By Andrew Heaton

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Canada employers to keep adding jobs in 2nd qtr -Manpower

Percent of workers using public transit to get to work in 2006 - selected metropolitan areas in Canada and the U.S. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By John Tilak

TORONTO, March 12 | Tue Mar 12, 2013 12:00am EDT

(Reuters) - Canadian employers are likely to keep adding jobs in the second quarter but at a slightly slower pace than in the first quarter, with the highest growth in the transportation and utilities sectors, according to a survey released on Tuesday.

A net 12 percent of Canadian employers expect to add jobs in the second quarter, the study from staffing company Manpower showed. That was down slightly from a net 13 percent three months earlier.

The survey measures the difference between employers who say they will add jobs and those planning to cut positions.

Five percent of employers surveyed about the second quarter plan cutbacks, the survey of 1,900 Canadian employers revealed. Some 75 percent of employers expect to maintain their current staffing levels, and some were unsure.

In the transportation and utilities sectors, a net 22 percent of employers expected to add jobs, a 6 percentage point increase from a year earlier.

Jobs growth overall is expected to be tempered by weakness in the mining and energy sectors, which have been hit by volatile commodity prices.

The net employment outlook for the resources sector remained at 8 percent, steady from the previous quarter but a decrease of 13 percentage points from a year earlier, according to the study.

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Canada Welcomes Record Number of Immigrants, Visitors and Students from China in 2012

Welcome to Canada! (Photo credit: Cria-cow)

Ottawa, March 4, 2013 —Canada issued a record number of visas for Chinese nationals in 2012, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today.

“We plan to grow the economy and create more jobs by attracting an increasing number of visitors and the world’s best and brightest talent to Canada,” said Minister Kenney.  “For this reason, we strive to issue visas and permits as quickly as possible to facilitate travel for immigrants, visitors and students.”

China was the number one source country for immigration to Canada in 2012, with 32,990 permanent residents admitted. Canada also issued a record 235,000 visitor visas to Chinese applicants in 2012, an increase of 158 percent compared to 2004. And the record 25,245 study permits approved represents an increase of 235 percent since 2004. This significant increase in each of these categories reaffirms Canada as a top destination of choice for visitors and students from China. 

The Government continues to move toward a fast and flexible immigration system that avoids backlogs and processes applications faster.

For example, in 2008, the government introduced the Canadian Experience Class, a path to permanent residency for international student graduate whose Canadian education and work experience helps ensure they are set for success in Canada’s economy.  In 2012, China was the top source country for successful Canadian Experience Class applicants.

In addition, in July 2011, the duration of multiple-entry visas was extended from 5 years to 10 years. This allows visitors to enter and exit Canada for up to six months at a time over 10 years. Furthermore, parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply for the new Parent and Grandparent Super Visa, which is also valid for up to 10 years and allows parents and grandparents to come to Canada for up to 24 months at a time.  

“For over a century, Canada has benefited from the talent and hard work of newcomers from China,” Minister Kenney said. “Almost 1.5 million Canadians can trace their ancestry to China, and now a growing number of Chinese citizens are able to visit family and friends in Canada, study at Canadian colleges and universities, or immigrate to Canada as permanent residents.”

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