Skilled migrants have brought millions of dollars into the Canadian economy.
Bookmark 
Print
24 May 2010
Canadian immigrants bring millions of dollars into local economy
The Canadian city of Moncton in Westmorland County, New Brunswick, has seen new Korean immigrants boost the local economy by around CA$73 million over the past five years.
The Provincial Nominee Program encourages applications for permanent residence from skilled migrants and assists international entrepreneurs to invest in local businesses and settle. It is a way for newcomers to speed up the Canadian immigration process, as well as for provincial governments to target groups that meet specific labour needs.
Through this program, the Korean community alone has brought about $73 million into the local economy of Moncton.
"That's brand new money," says Eric Pelletier of Enterprise Greater Moncton. "That's a huge deal. That's people buying houses and cars and groceries."
The average Canadian immigrant through this program brings an initial investment of about CA$300,000 when they arrive in Moncton. When you multiply that by the number of families, it's an incredible boost to the local economy, says Pelletier.
Most of those families arrived within the last five years. The largest immigrant population living in Moncton is of Korean background, and the city is home to around 245 Korean migrants as well as other migrant groups.
The Canadian Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people lodge their Canadian Visa applications with the Canadian Embassy.
