Immigration may not cure all labour woes
The Atlantic Provinces Economic Council (APEC) has released a report warning against unrealistic expectations as to the potential contribution of immigration to economic development in Atlantic Canada.
Currently, relatively few immigrants come to Atlantic Canada – and half of them don’t stay. Provincial governments and business groups are expecting that to change, thanks to certain initiatives. New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island have signed Provincial Nominee Agreements with the federal government and Nova Scotia is in the process of doing so. These agreements allow the provinces to recruit and nominate a specified number of skilled workers and entrepreneurs who will contribute to the economic needs of that province.
However, APEC is not convinced that these programs, even if successful in attracting more immigrants to the area, will solve skills shortages. Its report, Immigration and Economic Development in Atlantic Canada, identifies the following areas of concern that impact on the effectiveness of immigration as a remedy:
• the slow immigration process and long-term contribution of immigrants make immigration unsuitable for addressing short-term labour market needs;
• the lack of suitable procedures for certification of foreign credentials is a major obstacle to the successful integration of skilled immigrant workers;
• immigrant entrepreneurs are often frustrated by low earnings and business losses. This suggests that tighter selection procedures for immigrant entrepreneurs focusing on business experience, language skills and financial resources are needed to help improve business outcomes.
The full report is available on the APEC Web site at www.apec-econ.ca.
APEC is an independent, not-for-profit research and public policy organization that seeks to advance the economic development of the Atlantic region.
Currently, relatively few immigrants come to Atlantic Canada – and half of them don’t stay. Provincial governments and business groups are expecting that to change, thanks to certain initiatives. New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island have signed Provincial Nominee Agreements with the federal government and Nova Scotia is in the process of doing so. These agreements allow the provinces to recruit and nominate a specified number of skilled workers and entrepreneurs who will contribute to the economic needs of that province.
However, APEC is not convinced that these programs, even if successful in attracting more immigrants to the area, will solve skills shortages. Its report, Immigration and Economic Development in Atlantic Canada, identifies the following areas of concern that impact on the effectiveness of immigration as a remedy:
• the slow immigration process and long-term contribution of immigrants make immigration unsuitable for addressing short-term labour market needs;
• the lack of suitable procedures for certification of foreign credentials is a major obstacle to the successful integration of skilled immigrant workers;
• immigrant entrepreneurs are often frustrated by low earnings and business losses. This suggests that tighter selection procedures for immigrant entrepreneurs focusing on business experience, language skills and financial resources are needed to help improve business outcomes.
The full report is available on the APEC Web site at www.apec-econ.ca.
APEC is an independent, not-for-profit research and public policy organization that seeks to advance the economic development of the Atlantic region.
