Manitoba signs on to push for expanded immigration powers

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/07/2022 (1357 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Immigration Minister Jon Reyes has added his name a letter calling on Ottawa to give the provinces more authority over the resettlement of skilled workers amid an unprecedented labour shortage.

“It is time that the federal government respected provinces and allowed them to seize this opportunity, recruit workers and offer them good jobs,” the letter sent Tuesday to federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser reads.

Provincial immigration ministers were in Saint John, N.B., this week for their annual forum.

Ontario’s Monte McNaughton, Alberta’s Kaycee Madu, and Saskatchewan’s Jeremy Harrison also co-signed the letter sent ahead of a meeting with Fraser.

The ministers implored Ottawa to give provincial governments more ability to respond to evolving labour demands in their communities and to provide “a flexible system that we can adapt to changing economic and humanitarian needs.”

“We are facing a global race for talent as people all around the world search for a better place to build a life for themselves and their families,” the letter states in part. “By allowing provinces to select more immigrants with the skills they need most, and who have the greatest chance of success, we can fill crucial gaps and strengthen our local economies.”

In the first six months of the year, the Manitoba government processed 2,509 nominations through its provincial nominee program, according to the province. In 2021, 6,275 people arrived in Manitoba through the nominee program, the most since it was established in 1998.

However, Reyes previously said he wants to see the federal government increase the allotted number of immigrants it can accept through the program.

The Manitoba government estimates it will require about 15,500 new workers per year until at least 2025 to meet labour and economic demands.

“I look forward to a constructive exchange and discussion between the federal and provincial ministers… A dialogue that must frankly address unprecedented labour shortages, unacceptably long federal processing delays, and the need for greater provincial participation and control in a more flexible and responsive immigration system,” Reyes said Wednesday in a emailed statement.

A spokesperson for Fraser’s office said in a statement that the minister is looking forward to continuing and building on working relationships with provincial and territorial counterparts at the forum.

“All ministers agree that immigration will be essential in Canada’s post-pandemic economic recovery and filling gaps in the labour market,” the spokesperson said.

Ottawa also intends to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to improve the country’s ability to choose applicants who match changing and diverse economic and labour force needs.

“Minister Fraser will continue to collaborate and support his counterparts from coast to coast to coast to ensure the diverse needs of our provinces and territories are being met,” the statement concluded.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca