Canada: Reductions in target numbers for economic class visas
Description
According to a report from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), in 2011 the government of Canada will cut all economic class visas by nearly 7% and federal skilled worker visas specifically by 20%. Based on figures that an immigration lawyer from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) through the Access to Information Act, the CBC reported that from 2010 to 2011 the target number for Federal skilled worker visas will decline from 69,915 to 55,900, the target for Provincial nominees visas will rise from 36,650 to 40,300, with the total target number of economic class visas declining from 161,630 to 151,000.
In a related development, CIC announced in February 17, 2011 press release that it is proposing changes to the Federal Skilled Worker Program “to help Canada select immigrants who have the best chance of integrating and making a better contribution to the Canadian economy.” Among the changes that are being considered in consultations with stakeholders and the public are the following options:
· Requiring federal skilled workers to have a minimum level of language proficiency;
· making the program more accessible to skilled tradespeople, technicians and apprentices;
· placing greater emphasis on younger immigrants who will adapt more easily and be active members of the work force for a longer time frame;
· redirecting points from work experience to other factors that better contribute to success in the Canadian work force; and
· reducing the potential for fraudulent job offers.
The current Federal Skilled Worker Program was introduced in 2002 with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Any Evidence-Based Deliberation:
| Question | Result |
|---|---|
| Is there anything in the public record to suggest that evidence of the effectiveness of the proposed measure was considered during official deliberations? | Don't know |
| Is there any evidence that alternatives to the proposed measure were considered? | Don't Know |
| Is there anything in the public record that suggests that empirical evidence informed the comparison across the alternatives available to government? | Don't Know |
| Was such evidence identified? | Don't Know |
| Is such evidence publicly available? | Don't Know |
| Did the official decision-maker in question provide an explanation as to why a chosen measure was favoured over alternatives? | Don't Know |
| Is there any evidence to suggest that potentially affected trading partners were consulted before the measures were taken? | Don't Know |
| Is there any evidence that safeguards have been put in place to ensure that implementation of the initiative is transparent and non-discriminatory? | Don't Know |
| Did the government state its intention to review the measure within one year of implementation? | Don't Know |
Date Discovered:
Implemented: Yes
Date of inception: 1 Jan 2011
GTA Evaluation: Amber
Source:
See the hyperlinked materials in the description.
Government Response:
- 381 reads
