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January 14, 2019

To Help Fill Jobs Gap, Canada Will Increase Immigration

While U.S. policymakers debate $5 billion in funding for a border wall, the Canadian government last week announced a plan to increase immigration levels.

In 2017, more than 285,000 immigrants were admitted to Canada. The country hopes to increase that number to more than 350,000 a year between 2019 and 2021 so that it welcomes approximately one million immigrants during that period.

In a report to Parliament, Ahmed Hussen, minister of immigration, refugees, and citizenship, explained the effort is necessary to address the country’s growing jobs gap. Hussen’s ministry noted fertility rates in Canada have fallen and the worker-to-retiree ratio is expected to decline from 4.2 to 1 in 2012 to 2 to 1 by 2036. The report said, “Recent projections indicate that existing labor shortages, particularly in health, sciences, skilled trades, transport and equipment, are expected to persist into the future. Immigration also helps to meet specific regional labor market needs, especially through Provincial Nominee programs.”

It concluded, “immigration is important for Canada’s current and future prosperity.”

Click here to read the plan.

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