Programs let provinces target immigrants they need
Alberta is making changes to its provincial nominee program (PNP), and Ontario has gotten in on the act by launching its own program, to ease both the current shortage of skilled labour and to confront the forecasted sharp decline of workers.
PNPs allow provinces to nominate individuals for immigration based on labour needs and provincial priorities.
In an effort to address the labour shortage in Alberta, the provincial government recently expanded its PNP from a pilot program to a permanent venture. The program, administered in conjunction with the federal government, began in 2002 and processed about 100 nominees. The expanded PNP is expected to handle about 2,500 nominations this year alone.
Alberta currently receives about 20,000 immigrants a year and it’s hoped the PNP will help them find jobs in a more timely manner to help address the province’s notorious shortage of skilled workers.
A new focus of the program will be on applications from international graduates who are being offered permanent full-time employment from Alberta companies. To be considered, the international graduate must have obtained a diploma, degree or graduate-level credential from a public college or university either in Alberta or elsewhere in Canada or from a private school authorized to grant degrees in Alberta.
In the past, the program reviewed applications from employers with foreign workers seeking permanent residency in occupations requiring post-secondary education such as physicians, nurses, educators, managers and skilled trades. Now the program includes jobs in the manufacturing, tourism and trucking industries.
“Before moving to expand the program, we consulted with Alberta employers and other governments,” said Iris Evans, Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry Minister. “Employers strongly supported the expanded program and the strongest support came from the hospitality and lodging and manufacturing sectors.”
Ontario is jumping on board with its own pilot PNP. Announced on May 24, the program encourages employers, as well as multinational corporations investing in Ontario, to recruit and retain internationally trained workers, including international students enrolled in Ontario.
Employers will be able to fill labour needs in 20 specific occupations in the health, education, manufacturing and construction sectors. To participate in the PNP, employers must apply to the program and recruit qualified people currently living outside Canada or in other provinces. This includes international students who have completed college or university studies in Ontario related to one of the occupational fields. Applicants in this category will account for 90 per cent of nominations.
Investors, meanwhile, can apply to the PNP to help their company in bringing in key employees to contribute to the long-term success of the investment. Applicants in the multinational investment category of Ontario’s PNP will make up the remaining 10 per cent of nominees.
All nominees must have full-time permanent job offers from pre-approved employers to be eligible for the program. The majority of those nominees will be skilled workers, such as industrial electricians, specialized professionals, such as researchers, and international students. Roughly half of all nominations will be targeted to communities outside of the Greater Toronto Area in an effort to support economic growth in those regions.
Nominees who are given permission to work in Ontario will be nominated by the provincial government to have their application — along with their family’s applications — fast-tracked by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
“The new program is in keeping with one of the chamber’s key recommendations in terms of helping employers grow and compete,” said Len Crispino, president and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. “A provincial nominee program is one way to assist companies to get the skilled labour they require more quickly and attract investment to the province, both within and outside the Greater Toronto Area.”
Amy Terrill, director of media relations and communications for the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, said Ontario, “up until now, was the only province in Canada without (a PNP) and it has proven to be quite successful in other areas of Canada like Alberta and Manitoba.”
With a total of 500 people expected to be nominated in the first year, Ontario’s pilot will be on a larger scale than Alberta’s. The program will be fine-tuned and adjusted to ensure it’s flexible and effective in meeting employers’ labour market needs.
“It’s a win-win in that employers will be able to obtain the critical talent that they need and they’ll be able to get that talent more quickly,” said Alan Diner, manager of Ontario’s provincial nominee program unit. “It’s also a win for the immigrants because these highly skilled immigrants with good prospects for economic and social immigration will be able to fast-track to permanent residence. So we’re able to match up immigrants with employers.”
Kristan Wolfe is a Bowmanville, Ont.-based freelance writer.
PNPs allow provinces to nominate individuals for immigration based on labour needs and provincial priorities.
In an effort to address the labour shortage in Alberta, the provincial government recently expanded its PNP from a pilot program to a permanent venture. The program, administered in conjunction with the federal government, began in 2002 and processed about 100 nominees. The expanded PNP is expected to handle about 2,500 nominations this year alone.
Alberta currently receives about 20,000 immigrants a year and it’s hoped the PNP will help them find jobs in a more timely manner to help address the province’s notorious shortage of skilled workers.
A new focus of the program will be on applications from international graduates who are being offered permanent full-time employment from Alberta companies. To be considered, the international graduate must have obtained a diploma, degree or graduate-level credential from a public college or university either in Alberta or elsewhere in Canada or from a private school authorized to grant degrees in Alberta.
In the past, the program reviewed applications from employers with foreign workers seeking permanent residency in occupations requiring post-secondary education such as physicians, nurses, educators, managers and skilled trades. Now the program includes jobs in the manufacturing, tourism and trucking industries.
“Before moving to expand the program, we consulted with Alberta employers and other governments,” said Iris Evans, Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry Minister. “Employers strongly supported the expanded program and the strongest support came from the hospitality and lodging and manufacturing sectors.”
Ontario is jumping on board with its own pilot PNP. Announced on May 24, the program encourages employers, as well as multinational corporations investing in Ontario, to recruit and retain internationally trained workers, including international students enrolled in Ontario.
Employers will be able to fill labour needs in 20 specific occupations in the health, education, manufacturing and construction sectors. To participate in the PNP, employers must apply to the program and recruit qualified people currently living outside Canada or in other provinces. This includes international students who have completed college or university studies in Ontario related to one of the occupational fields. Applicants in this category will account for 90 per cent of nominations.
Investors, meanwhile, can apply to the PNP to help their company in bringing in key employees to contribute to the long-term success of the investment. Applicants in the multinational investment category of Ontario’s PNP will make up the remaining 10 per cent of nominees.
All nominees must have full-time permanent job offers from pre-approved employers to be eligible for the program. The majority of those nominees will be skilled workers, such as industrial electricians, specialized professionals, such as researchers, and international students. Roughly half of all nominations will be targeted to communities outside of the Greater Toronto Area in an effort to support economic growth in those regions.
Nominees who are given permission to work in Ontario will be nominated by the provincial government to have their application — along with their family’s applications — fast-tracked by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
“The new program is in keeping with one of the chamber’s key recommendations in terms of helping employers grow and compete,” said Len Crispino, president and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. “A provincial nominee program is one way to assist companies to get the skilled labour they require more quickly and attract investment to the province, both within and outside the Greater Toronto Area.”
Amy Terrill, director of media relations and communications for the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, said Ontario, “up until now, was the only province in Canada without (a PNP) and it has proven to be quite successful in other areas of Canada like Alberta and Manitoba.”
With a total of 500 people expected to be nominated in the first year, Ontario’s pilot will be on a larger scale than Alberta’s. The program will be fine-tuned and adjusted to ensure it’s flexible and effective in meeting employers’ labour market needs.
“It’s a win-win in that employers will be able to obtain the critical talent that they need and they’ll be able to get that talent more quickly,” said Alan Diner, manager of Ontario’s provincial nominee program unit. “It’s also a win for the immigrants because these highly skilled immigrants with good prospects for economic and social immigration will be able to fast-track to permanent residence. So we’re able to match up immigrants with employers.”
Kristan Wolfe is a Bowmanville, Ont.-based freelance writer.
