March 27, 2014

Minister Chris Alexander concludes trip to China

Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander officially brought an end to his trip to China to promote Canada on 24 March 2014. During the visit, the Minister traveled to both Hong Kong and Shanghai to outline the many opportunities for Chinese skilled workers, travellers, business people and students.

In Hong Kong, the Minister discussed Canada’s intention for the Economic Action Plan 2014. This plan will replace the Immigrant Investor Program with new pilot programs. Continuing his visit in Shanghai, he discussed with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce issues relating to international education as China remains one of the top source countries for students coming to Canada.

During both visits, the Minister further highlighted the many pathways available for aspiring permanent residents by reiterating the active recruitment model known as the “Expression of Interest” (EOI) system. He explained that this system will allow faster visa processing for newcomers who hold the skills and attributes that Canadian employers require for job positions that Canadians cannot fill.

Minister Chris Alexander also implemented the use of social media as he hosted a chat with Chinese citizens with a site that closely resembles twitter, called Weibo, to highlight the variety of pathways for those who want to immigrate to Canada.

To conclude the visit, the Minster was quoted saying,

“Canada is a welcoming place for Chinese visitors and students, and our permanent economic immigration programs offer many options for those looking to make Canada their home. This trip provided our government with the opportunity to highlight the various opportunities that exist within Canada and reinforce the strong ties between our two countries.”