According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s 2009 Annual Report, Canada is actually maintaining its immigration levels to meet the country’s medium- to long-term economic needs.

While other countries have cut back immigration levels as a short-term response to the global economic downturn, Canada is actually maintaining its immigration levels. Despite the economic downturn, Canada still needs foreign workers to fill shortages in some regions and professions. The focus of the 2010 plan is on economic immigration to support Canada’s economy during and beyond the current economic recovery.

Canada plans to accept between 240,000 and 265,000 new permanent residents immigrants in 2010, the same number of immigrants as in recent years. In 2010, Canada will again welcome more new permanent residents than the average annual intake during the 1990s.

In particular, the admission ranges for immigrants nominated by the provinces and territories have been increased. Provinces and territories are in the best position to understand how Canada’s immigration intake can be aligned to their labour market needs. Second, by increasing the admission ranges in the Provincial Nominee Program, the Government of Canada is helping to ensure that the benefits of immigration are distributed across this country. Canada and the provinces will work together to manage growth in the provincial nominee program. Increasing the total number of immigrants processed under the economic category will also allow CIC to continue reducing the backlog of federal skilled worker applicants as part of the Action Plan for Faster Immigration.

“The Government of Canada will continue to work with provinces, territories and stakeholders to make sure immigration meets the needs of communities, employers and families now and in the future,” said Minister Kenney, Canadian Immigration Minister.

Improving the federal skilled worker program is part of the Government of Canada’s overall commitment to modernizing the immigration system to maximize its contribution to our overall economic growth. In 2008, as part of the Action Plan for Faster Immigration, the Government of Canada made changes to the way we select skilled workers. Applicants in the federal skilled worker category must now meet a set of eligibility criteria before they can be processed. The criteria correspond to Canada’s economic immigration needs. If applicants don’t meet the criteria, they are not processed and their application fees are refunded.

The changes were made to meet three main goals:

1. Reduce the backlog of applicants in the federal skilled worker category
2. Reduce wait times
3. Improve labour market responsiveness

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has made significant progress toward meeting these goals since the first set of eligibility criteria was issued on November 28, 2008.

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Given the current global economic situation, some countries have considered reducing immigration numbers. However, Canada has nevertheless pledged to maintain immigration levels and has been named one of the western nations that are least likely to develop an anti-immigration backlash despite the economic crisis by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The OECD, an organization that gives governments economic and social policy advice, presented a report on Tuesday that urged western countries not to close the door on immigration in the face of the global economic crisis.

The OECD said that immigrants have been hit the hardest by the recession, particularly in some European countries and the United States.

However, the organization noted that in countries such as Canada, immigrants are far less likely to face an ‘anti-immigrant backlash’ than in many European countries.

“I think the sense of backlash is much less in countries of permanent settlement like Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States. These are all countries that were built on immigration; people still feel it’s important to accept immigrants,” said John Martin, director for employment, labour and social affairs at OECD.

In March, Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism Canada Minister Jason Kenney met with his provincial and territorial counterparts to review Canada’s immigration targets, and decided that Canada would maintain its immigration targets for 2009.

“Our government will not follow the advice of those who believe that Canada should take steps to reduce immigration levels. In fact, we are maintaining our planned immigration levels for 2009,” Kenney said.

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Earlier this year, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Canada Minister Jason Kenney announced that Canada was considering a reduction in immigration numbers in 2009, based on economic uncertainty.  Having met with his provincial and territorial counterparts to study the demand for immigration in regional labour markets, Minister Kenney has announced that the need for immigration remains strong in Canada.  Immigration levels for 2009 will therefore not be reduced.

Though Canada has not been immune to rising unemployment numbers in the current economic downturn, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has decided that immigration numbers will not be reduced for 2009, maintaining a target of approximately 250,000 new Permanent Residents.

“Canada is facing a long-term labour shortage so the government is not going to turn off the immigration tap only to have to turn it back on later,” stated Minister Kenney.  British Columbia and Alberta alone are going to need an additional 600,000 foreign workers over the next five years, he went on to say, as aging workers retire and their economies continue to expand.

Canadian population and labour force growth rely heavily on immigration.  A recent Statistics Canada demographic report credits net international migration as the main driver of population and labour force growth.

“There continue to be acute labour market shortages in certain businesses, certain industries and certain regions.  And our government believes that the worst thing we could do during this time of economic difficulty is to starve those employers who are growing of the labour they need to fuel their prosperity.”

Nevertheless, as the worldwide economic downturn evolves, so too may Canadian immigration legislation.  As evidenced over the past year, Canada’s Immigration Minister has the authority to modify immigration regulations without notice to better respond to Canada’s labour market needs.

Most notably, the list of 38 qualifying occupations for the Federal Skilled Worker category of immigration (having a year of work experience in one of them is the common way to qualify) is based on Canada’s labour market needs, and is currently being evaluated to determine whether changes should be made.

Similarly, the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) has also been revising its list of qualifying occupations for the popular U.S. Visa Holder category, which fast-tracks applicants without requiring a job offer.

Potential applicants who are qualified for either of these programs under current work experience requirements are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible, to avoid being subject to new government regulations.

The good news for now is that, according to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, “We have no plans in Canada, nor are we under any pressure, to reduce immigration in any way during the recession.”