Economic climate unlikely to affect Canadian immigration

In spite of the downturn in the economy, it is highly unlikely that the projected Canada migration figures for this year announced by the immigration minister Jason Kenney in November 2008 will be adjusted significantly.

The annual immigration forecast of Kenney set a target according to which 240,000-265,000 new permanent immigrants should be accepted to work in Canada in the year 2009 in order to meet requirements of an “expanding and dynamic economy”.

However, the economy has suffered badly after the announcement and as a result of that some may expect Kenney to revise the Canada visa figures for the 2009 immigration year.

When taking into account the number of Canadians that will emigrate over 2009, the immigration figures account for less than 1 percent of the population of Canada and therefore, it can be said that a variation in the figures would actually have a very limited effect on the workforce.

During the year 2009, only 156,000 of the new immigrant population will come under the economic category. Many of these will be selected solely by the provinces and territories that need to boost their labor markets in certain industries.

Almost 71,000 of the expected visa applications in 2009 will be entering the country on family visas and a further 27,200 are under the protected class and these must be offered refugee in the country.

Therefore, despite the introduction of Bill C-50, which was intended to give the minister more flexibility in processing and managing applications, there is very little opportunity to adjust his forecasted figures based on the economic conditions.