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The future of Canada depends on immigration, said Marco Mendicino, the Immigration Minister of Canada in his “Vision” speech. He said this in the context of the demographic realities of the country. Canada has low birthrate, longer lifespan for people and fewer children to maintain the size of the population. The lack of population growth is putting pressure on the country’s economy as the number of workers on whom the government can rely for raising funds for government expenses such as healthcare is really low. As the population is aging faster, the demand for healthcare is also going to increase in the future. Currently, 85 percent of Canada’s population growth can be attributed to immigration. It is predicted that Canada’s dependence on immigration for population growth will reach 100 percent by 2030s.
Marco Mendicino, in his speech, has informed that Canada would be welcoming over one million immigrants over the next three years. The 2020-2022 Immigration Levels Plan of Canada will be formally released in March, said the Minister.
The Vision speech by Marco Mendicino is his first policy speech after he took charge as Canada’s immigration minister in November 2019. The Vision speeches, which are a tradition among the immigration ministers of Canada, are meant to explain their vision for the country’s immigration system. The aspirational goals of the government regarding immigration, and policies and programs which the government plans to implement with regard to immigration are explained in these speeches.
Mendicino said in his speech that a dialogue on how many people Canada needs to secure its economic prosperity was necessary.
Immigration programs of Canada
Mendicino, in his Vision speech, has made clear that the Express Entry program would remain the flagship program for welcoming immigrants to Canada. He said 95 per cent of immigrants who came to Canada through Express Entry are employed and 85 per cent of them are working in their respective fields of specialization. Immigration programs such as the Global Talent Stream and Atlantic Immigration Pilot are also playing a key role in supporting the country’s economy, according to the Minister.
The Minister also highlighted the need to promote economic immigration to smaller communities. It is with this aim the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot was introduced in 2019, said the Minister.
Canada will also be launching Municipal Nominee Program (MNP) in order to promote economic growth across the country. The Canada government is conducting pre-consultations regarding the program, said the Minister and he invited the stakeholders to provide feedback on how to shape the MNP.
OECD has lauded the Canadian immigration system as the international standard on how to effectively manage an immigration system, the Minister said. Canada is built on the strength of immigration. Welcoming the immigrants will help Canada to grow the labour market, support businesses and remain the best country in the world, said Mendicino, concluding his speech.
The Vision speech by Marco Mendicino indicates that Canadian immigration would continue to remain upbeat. If you plan to move to Canada permanently, start the procedures now! Take the first step by filling our free online assessment form right away!
