The Future of Our Immigration System

Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney outlined his vision for a faster, more responsive immigration system that better meets Canada’s economic needs, in a keynote address today.

In his speech, the Minister highlighted recent changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Program, where current applicants must have experience in one of 29 occupations or have a job offer in Canada. He also noted the success of the Canadian Experience Class and provincial and territorial nominee programs in spreading the benefits of immigration across the country while simultaneously addressing long-term regional labour needs.

He also indicated other areas which needed improvement moving forward, for instance, lengthy backlogs, the need for more entrepreneurs and investors, as well as a fairer points system for assessing federal skilled worker applicants. There needs to be greater emphasis on language ability while recognizing that language requirements must differ based on the occupation.