Minister predicts Canadian immigration will solve labour issues

As Canada's baby boomer generation continues to approach retirement age, the country faces struggling to replace a vast workforce. Mr Kenney however, says Canadian immigration should be used to address the issue.

"Immigration is going to, I think, I predict, continue to grow in importance in Atlantic Canada, including Newfoundland, because of the skill shortages, because of the aging of the population," said the minister.

"We don't really have much choice but to try to address that partly through immigration."

Mr Kenney has in recent weeks travelled to both the UK and Ireland in an effort to attract more skilled graduates and changes have been made to Canada visa and immigration policy in order to reflect the growing concern within the country.

Canada's immigration program is one of the most open in the world but has struggled to source the skills it has needed. A common problem Mr Kenney has often cited is migrants entering the country only to find their qualifications or experience aren't applicable in Canada and are forced to work low paid, blue collar jobs.

In order to combat that, Mr Kenney has made young migrants with English or French language skills and the qualifications or experience needed by Canadian employers a priority in recent immigration legislation.

Nigel Smith, immigration consultant at the Canadian Visa Bureau, says young British and Irish migrants are more than able to help with growing labour shortages.

"The British and Irish economies are still in turmoil and there are literally thousands of young graduates desperate for opportunities in their industries," said Mr Smith.

"Canada meanwhile has a strong economy, not to mention a great quality of life, yet it cannot find the workers it needs.

"Immigration is the obvious solution."

---

The Canadian Visa Bureau is an independent migration consultancy specialising in helping people make their application to the Canadian Embassy.