IMMIGRATION: New Federal Skilled Trades Program is good news but more is needed!

NICK NOORANI
VANCOUVER DESI

The announcement from Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney on a new Federal Skilled Trades Program is a welcome step to help address Canada’s growing demand for skilled tradespersons.

“Ensuring Canada’s immigration system works for small employers in need of skilled trades’ people has been a concern for some time,” said Dan Kelly, president and CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. “With the shortage of qualified labour in many parts of Canada growing once again, the launch of the
Skilled Trades immigration stream is very welcome news.”

The criteria for application seem fairly straightforward, which should help employers suffering labour shortages get skilled tradespeople into the country fast.

The news report goes on to say, “In order to manage intake, avoid backlogs and ensure fast processing times, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will accept up to a maximum of 3,000 applications in the first year of the Federal Skilled Trades Program.”

This is a great step. To take it further, it would be great to see more such limits set up to prevent a return to the historic backlogs we have had in the past.

Many countries accepting immigrants close the door on applications once their annual requirements have been met. Sure, the quota will fill up in the first quarter with all applicants rushing to get in, but after that the department would be able to focus on processing these applicants faster.

Let’s take a lesson from Noah who had to limit passengers on the famous Ark!

Nick Noorani is an immigration expert, social entrepreneur and Managing Partner of Prepare for Canada, an online magazine for immigrants pre-arrival and post. He can be reached at nick@nicknoorani.com