28 Mar Alberta wants more immigrants to tackle the workforce shortage
Alberta wants more immigrants to tackle the workforce shortage
Alberta has requested the Federal Government to boost its provincial nominee program allocations, allowing more workers to gain permanent citizenship. The current quota for 2024 is 9,750, a reduction from 10,140. Premier Danielle Smith states this could impact Alberta’s economy and aid to Ukrainian refugees. Employment in Alberta rose to 2.5 million in February 2024, a 4.1% year-over-year increase. Over 57,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Alberta since 2022. Notably, labour shortages are present in construction technology, healthcare, and education. Smith has requested an increase to 20,000 allotments annually for 2024-2026 and an additional 10,000 for Ukrainian evacuees.
Alberta, #labour_shortages, #AAIP, #cap, #Ukrainian_refugees
Ontario allocated international student applications for the labour market
The Ontario Government will prioritize study permits for postsecondary programs at public institutions, focusing on high-demand areas such as skilled trades, health, STEM, hospitality, and childcare. The province will exclude career colleges from receiving international student applications and prioritize French-language enrollment. According to the new announcement, the number of study permits for each institution in 2024 cannot exceed those issued in 2023, with the ratio of international permits capped at 55%. All public universities, except Algoma University, and 11 of 24 public colleges will maintain 2023 application levels. The most significant decline will be in public-private college partnerships and Conestoga College.
PAL, #study_permits, #Ontario, #international_students, #study_in_Canada
Airport asylum claims to overwhelm the Canadian refugee system
Data from Canada’s Immigration Refugee Board shows about 72,000 refugee claims at Canadian airports from 2019-2023, with significant increases at Montreal Trudeau International and Toronto’s Pearson Airports. As the Canada Border Services Agency reveals, the government struggles with case processing and removal of rejected claims. Over 28,000 active warrants were issued last month to failed refugee claimants. Deportation of those deemed inadmissible on national security grounds remains a challenge. The closure of Roxham Road, an unofficial border crossing, contributed to this increase. After its closure, there was a surge in claims at Montreal’s airport, primarily by Mexican nationals. Many claimants wait years for resolution due to application backlogs. Ottawa re-imposed a visa requirement for Mexican nationals to control growing asylum claims, most of which are being rejected.
Refugees, #asylum_seekers, #CBSA, #IRB, #Mexican_refugees
Canada has experienced the highest annual population increase since 1957
Canada’s population grew by 3.2% in 2023, the highest since 1957, reaching 40,769,890. This growth, primarily due to temporary immigration (97.6%), would have been 1.2% if relying on natural increase and permanent immigration. Last year, Canada welcomed 471,771 permanent immigrants and 804,901 non-permanent residents, mainly workers and international students. Over one in ten non-permanent residents were asylum claimants. By January 1, 2024, there were an estimated 2,661,784 non-permanent residents in Canada, including 2,332,886 permit holders and their families, and 328,898 asylum claimants. The final quarter of 2023 saw a population increase of 241,494 (+0.6%), the highest for a fourth quarter since 1956.