Canada allows record number of immigrants in 2010
by Harleen Kaur - February 15, 2011
Canada, 15th February: Canada welcomed record number of newcomers into the nation surpassing the levels of the last 50 years.
According to official figures, a total of 280,636 permanent residents were admitted by Canada in the year 2010. Representative of the immigrant-rich riding of Richmond, Conservative MP Alice Wong, expressed his pleasure that Canada had welcomed a higher number of immigrants in the year 2010 which means that more newcomers are ready to begin a new life in this nation.
The higher number of immigrants allowed into Canada has resulted in almost 50 percent reduction in the backlog of applicants under the skilled worker visa category in the last two years, Wong added.
As compared to the backlog of Canada skilled worker visa applicants in the year 2008, the numbers have come down considerably taking the figures to 335,000 in 2010, Wong maintained.
Canada Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney stated that while other Western nations have been cutting the immigration levels to a great extent, Canadian government had kept the levels of immigration quite high.
Kenney added that the economy of Canada requires a high economic immigration level to keep the nation strong.
The record levels of skilled immigrants coming to Canada in the year 2010 helped in meeting the demands of the Canada labor market, asserted Kenney.
Majority of immigrants coming to Canada under the skilled worker visa category had offers of jobs before their arrival in the nation and are found to be earning a stable income in the nation presently.
Kenney stated that the average earning of such workers is found to be $79,200 three years after their arrival in Canada.
Quoting the findings of a recent government study, Kenney was all praises for the contribution of around $6.5 billion by foreign students to the economy of Canada annually.
Speaking about the number of government-assisted and privately sponsored refugees immigrating to Canada, Kenney stated that the figures had gone up by 63 percent over the year 2005.
Canada welcomed 4,833 privately sponsored refugees and 7,265 government-assisted refugees last year.
Meanwhile, Canada immigration minister sent a wave of warning among those who wanted to play by the immigration laws of the nation. He said the nation will not allow human smugglers and queue jumpers to sneak into Canada.
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