By Sandi Krasowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Source: The Chronicle-Journal
The federal government has accelerated the transition of up to 33,000 workers in Canada to permanent residence in 2026 and 2027. The initiative announced Monday by Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab aims to focus immigration on the areas of greatest impact, including rural and remote communities facing labour shortages in key sectors. The minister says as part of the initiative, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is accelerating eligible applications from existing inventories of work permit holders.
“These eligible workers are already supporting their smaller and rural communities’ labour and economic needs, and have applied through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, the Atlantic Immigration Program, the community immigration pilots, the caregiver pilots or the AgriFood Pilot,” she said. “They have also been living in smaller communities in Canada for two years or more.”
Metlege Diab added that through these criteria, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will grant permanent residence to applicants across a range of in-demand sectors in rural areas and communities with labour gaps.
The Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce and the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) have jointly been advocating for the removal of barriers for immigrants in rural communities seeking permanent residency.
“We are pleased to see the government taking action to support quicker processing of permanent residency applications in communities like Thunder Bay, where we are experiencing labour shortages,” said Chamber president Charla Robinson.
CEDC chief executive officer Jamie Taylor said Thunder Bay has the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP), and they are recommending candidates for permanent residency through that program.
“We believe the announcement indicates that candidates would receive their permanent residence quicker,” said Taylor.
She added that the CEDC also believes the federal government measure encourages new Canadians to stay in smaller Ontario communities like Thunder Bay.
“Through RCIP, retention is one of the key objectives,” she said. “This is why candidates who have lived in the community receive additional points because they have set down roots. They also receive additional points for community connections and if their spouse also works or studies in the city.”
Taylor says it’s important to keep new Canadians working and living in Thunder Bay.
“We know that our population is not naturally growing through new births, and with expected workforce demands, we need a skilled population to meet those demands,” she said.
Newcomers also fit into the overall growth plan in terms of working in the trades and building homes and business infrastructure.
“The trades sector is one of the six sectors supported through RCIP. It is also a sector supported through OINP (Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program),” said Taylor. “We know the trades sector is growing and the demand for more skilled tradespeople is increasing. We also support our post-secondary institutions with data and information about the growing needs in these sectors.”
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is aiming to transition at least 20,000 workers to permanent residence in 2026 and the remainder in 2027.
