Canada will take up to 10,000 more skilled workers this year under its federal skilled worker program, but immigration levels are expected to remain steady at 240,000 to 265,000 for the sixth consecutive year.
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has announced that Canada will accept between 55,000 and 57,000 skilled workers under the program this year, in a bid to meet market demand and to reduce the large backlog of applicants.
"The government's number one priority remains the economy,” said Immigration Minister Jason Kenney. “We recognize the importance of immigration to our labour market and we value the contributions of skilled immigrants who add to our international competitiveness."
In 2010, the government capped new applications under the skilled worker program in a move to take control over the burgeoning numbers. By June of 2011, the backlog was cut to 314,000, down from 650,000 in 2008.
An extensive evaluation of the the Federal Skilled Worker Program conducted by Citizen and Immigration Canada (CIC) showed that 89% of federal skilled workers were employed or self-employed three years after landing in Canada. Moreover, 95% of the employers surveyed indicated that these workers were meeting or exceeding their expectations.
Canada has also announced a small increase in the number of students and skilled temporary foreign workers who are fast-tracked to permanent residency through the Canadian Experience Class visa stream.
New points system for 2012
Kenney has said that the federal government will introduce a new, more "flexible" points system that will give credit to skilled tradespeople, a group previously excluded from the Skilled Worker program. It will also award points for applicants who have lined up a job in advance.
What next?
- Read more about the Canadian Experience Class
- Find out about applying for a visa under the federal skilled worker program.
- Find out more about jobs in Canada
- Get help with your Canadian Visa