2008 will be a 'crunch year' for the Canadian skill shortage

The president of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Sam Shaw, told the Daily Oil Bulletin why Canada needs to pay attention to the problem now. "For some businesses, they're getting access to workers, for others not enough. And certainly, I think from what I hear on the street with big business, 2008 is going to be one of the crunch years as we start marching with 2008, 2009 and 2010. You're going to see some of the mega projects requiring more and more and we're talking about thousands of people being deployed."

In the 2007 budget, the government announced investments of CN$50.5 million (£24.8 million) to streamline requirements to increase Canadian immigration and respond to regional labour and skill shortages. Measures to allow temporary Canadian visa holders to apply for permanent residence have also been introduced.

Canadian immigration is an "important source" of skills and talent that can help fill the labour shortage, said Human Resources minister Monte Solberg in a speech earlier this year.

In addition, Alberta and British Columbia have signed a labour mobility agreement to recognise qualifications of skilled workers across both provinces.

Canada welcomes new immigrants: The Canadian Visa Bureau can assist skilled workers interested in Canadian immigration. More information on Canadian visas is available on the website. Anyone applying for a Canadian visa should begin by completing the online Canadian visa application to see if they meet the legislative requirements.