Federal minister seeks input on immigration levels

Employers invited to participate

Federal Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney has launched a series of cross-country consultations on immigration issues.

The minister is meeting with stakeholders and the public to discuss immigration levels and mix. The first session was held in Calgary July 12 and will continue to Vancouver on July 18, Toronto on July 20 and Montreal on July 22. Online consultations will take place later this summer and will be open to the public.

The purpose of the consultations is to seek feedback on immigration levels, including the appropriate level of immigration for Canada, and the most suitable mix between economic, family class and protected persons, said the government. Discussions on system management to provide improved services, such as reasonable processing times, and addressing issues such as fraud, will also be included.

In planning for the total number of people to admit as permanent residents, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) not only balances immigration objectives but also considers several other factors, including broader government commitments, input from provinces and territories, and current and future economic conditions, said the government.

The department must also consider its operational ability to process applications in a timely manner, as well as the capacity of communities to welcome newcomers.

In addition to presenting an opportunity to gather input from stakeholders and the public on key questions facing CIC, the consultations also allow the department to share with stakeholders and the public some of the considerations and difficult choices involved in managing a global immigration system, said the government.

The consultations present an important opportunity to generate greater understanding of the trade-offs involved in setting immigration levels, it said.

Invited stakeholders represent a variety of perspectives, including those of employers, labour, academia, learning institutions, professional organizations, business organizations, regulatory bodies, municipalities, settlement provider organizations and ethno-cultural organizations.

A report on the consultations will be available on the CIC website once stakeholder and public consultations have been completed.

More information about the online consultations will be available on the CIC website in the coming weeks. Interested participants may sign up online at www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/consultations/index.asp

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