Highlights

Faced with major labour shortages, Canada’s provinces are increasingly relying on immigrant nominee programs to bolster their workforces. Last year, the provinces selected over 38,000 workers to come to Canada under these arrangements.

However, in response to growing concerns within the federal immigration department, the Canadian government recently announced new language proficiency requirements for provincial nominees.

Beginning July 1st, those applying to come to Canada as semi or low-skilled workers through a provincial nominee program will have to meet minimum language standards in either English or French.

The policy change is in response to studies showing that a lack of ability to speak either of Canada’s official languages leaves newcomers struggling to get established and find work outside the immigrant communities in major cities.

Through Canada’s Access to Information Act, Vancouver immigration lawyer Richard Kurland obtained an internal immigration department report about the coming changes to language requirements. In conversation with Lorn Curry, Mr Kurland explains what the document is and why the report convinced the government to impose language testing for semi and low-skilled worker nominees coming to Canada.

Vous devez avoir la dernière version de Flash Player installée.

Back