Federal plan targets immigration to bring in skilled trades workers
The federal government has released its immigrations levels plan for the next two years, with a focus on attracting workers to key sectors of the economy, including the skilled trades.
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced the plan on November 1. It sees the government set a plan to bring in 465,000 new permanent residents next year, 485,000 in 2024 and 500,000 in 2025. The plan also brings an increased focus on attracting newcomers to different regions of the country, including small towns and rural communities.
The aim, it says, is to help businesses find workers and to attract the skills required in key sectors—including health care, skilled trades, manufacturing and technology—to manage the social and economic challenges Canada will face in the decades ahead.
Canada welcomed 405,000 newcomers last year.
“Last year, we welcomed the most newcomers in a single year in our history,” said Fraser. “This year’s immigration levels plan will help businesses find the workers they need, set Canada on a path that will contribute to our long-term success, and allow us to make good on key commitments to vulnerable people fleeing violence, war and persecution.”
Highlights of the levels plan include:
- a long-term focus on economic growth, with just over 60% of admissions in the economic class by 2025,
- using new features in the Express Entry system to welcome newcomers with the required skills and qualifications in sectors facing acute labour shortages such as, health care, manufacturing, building trades and STEM,
- increases in regional programs to address targeted local labour market needs, through the Provincial Nominee Program, the Atlantic Immigration Program, and the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, and
- support for global crises by providing a safe haven to those facing persecution, including by expanding the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot.
"Canada's Building Trades Unions are pleased with today's announcement to increase immigration levels in Canada,” said executive director Sean Strickland. “Historically it has been through immigration that we have been able to grow our workforce, fill our union halls and build Canada’s infrastructure. Increased economic immigration is an important step to addressing labour availability across the country and we look forward to continuing to work closely with the federal government to find the solutions we need going forward."