Immigration in Canada will not reverse aging trend

Canada needs increased number of immigrants into the nation to increase the number of workers following retirement of aging baby boomers from the Canada labor market, the director of national and provincial outlooks and author of the Conference Board’s report, Peter Antunes stated.

The report stated that due to exodus of baby boomers from Canadian workforce, the nation will experience shortage of labor between the period 2015 and 2030. This will limit the economic growth of the nation.

The predicted immigration rate in Canada will be around 350,000 persons annually by the year 2030 which will go up from the present rate of nearly 250,000 immigrants annually(as per 2008 figures).

According to Antunes, even if Canada opens its doors to increased number of immigrants, there is no denying the fact that it will have to face increased challenges due to stiffer competition from other developed and high industrialized nations the world over to attract and retain new immigrants.

Also, the challenge will be significantly more in terms of not just attracting new immigrants into Canada but attracting those people who possess appropriate qualifications and suitable work experience to be employed for various jobs in Canada for which they are hired.  

An official spokesperson for CIC (Citizenship and Immigration Canada), Kelli Fraser, the Federal government is working to target nearly 240,000 to 265,000 new immigrants into Canada in the year 2010. These figures happen to be the highest rate of immigration for any of the industrialized nations, Fraser added.

Speaking about the long-term plans regarding Canada immigration by the CIC, Fraser clarified that as of now, there were no such plans, but she maintained that Canada immigration department is constantly evolving such immigration programs and policies which are in needs of the constantly changing targets of Canada.

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Harleen Kaur

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