The Canadian government has announced that they will be speeding up the entry process for skilled workers as part of plans to help their oil, gas and construction industries.
The new permanent residency scheme, which will be introduced in January next year, is set to permit an additional 3,000 skilled expats to live and work in Canada.
Canada’s immigration minister Jason Kenney announced the new scheme last week, revealing that demand for skilled expats has grown as a result of growth in domestic economy. He disclosed that businesses in Canada were “desperately crying out for skilled tradespeople to help them fuel their expansion, their growth and our economy’s prosperity”.
Professions in which there are shortages include electricians, welders, heavy-duty equipment mechanics, and pipefitters.
A full list is expected to be published later this year. In order to qualify for the visa applicants will need to demonstrate that they have two levels of experience and secure a job in Canada in advance of the visa application process. In the event that applicants do not yet have a job offer they will be required to produce a certificate from a qualifying province that proves they have the right to work there.
Last week, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) revealed that there is currently a major shortages of labor in the country, with an estimated one third of businesses requiring additional resource.
