Federal-Provincial-Territorial Meeting of Ministers responsible for Immigration

March 18, 2014—Ottawa—Federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) immigration ministers today reiterated  their commitment to actively recruit economic immigrants that have the skills  the Canadian economy needs most.

Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander and  Alberta’s Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour Minister Thomas Lukaszuk co-chaired  the meeting of FPT ministers responsible for immigration. Economic immigration  was a top priority for all Ministers around the table.

Ministers agreed to continue collaborating on building the new active  recruitment model which is known as the Expression of Interest (or EOI) system.  It is intended to transform Canada’s immigration system into one that is more responsive  to labour market needs.

EOI will provide governments and Canadian employers access to skilled  foreign workers and expedite their entry into Canada for jobs that aren’t being  filled by people already in Canada. Ministers  agreed to engage jointly and intensively with employers on EOI prior to the new  system launch in January 2015.

Immigration Ministers also endorsed a plan to improve settlement  outcomes for newcomers across Canada. It includes improved pre-arrival  services, foreign qualification recognition, language learning for newcomers  who are not in the workforce and ways to encourage newcomers to become more  connected to their communities.

The ministers reviewed progress to date on the FPT Vision Action Plan, reiterating  the continuing need to align immigration levels with economic demand, build a fast, flexible economic immigration system  focused primarily on meeting labour market needs across Canada, and improve  social and economic settlement and integration outcomes for newcomers to  Canada.  

As immigration remains crucial to Canada’s  economic future, the ministers agreed to meet again before the end of the year  to continue this important work.

Under the Canada-Québec Accord relating to immigration and temporary admission of foreign nationals , Québec  fully assumes sole responsibility for establishing immigration levels, and for  the selection, francization and integration of immigrants. In areas under its  responsibility, Québec develops its policies and programs, legislates,  regulates and sets its own standards. Québec is an observer at FPT meetings.
Quick facts

   
• EOI will complement the Provincial Nominee  Program which will continue to be a key mechanism to allow provinces,  territories, and employers to meet regional labour market needs. Almost 41,000  provincial nominees (including their spouses and dependants) were admitted to  Canada through the PNP in 2012, up from approximately 13,500 in 2006.
   
• Thanks in part to the PNP, 42 percent of all  economic immigrants in 2012 intended to settle outside of Toronto, Montreal and  Vancouver, compared to only about 20 percent in 2000.
   
• In 2012, 62 percent of immigrants were in the  economic stream. Governments aim to achieve a minimum of 70 percent, nationally  and by jurisdiction, in the years ahead.
   
• FPT Governments are committed to ensuring that newcomers integrate and contribute fully  to the Canadian economy, and to their communities, as soon as possible. For its  part, the Government of Canada  will invest almost $600 million in 2014-2015 to support newcomers’ settlement  needs outside of Quebec.  

Quotes

“The Government of Canada’s number one priority remains economic growth  and job creation. Immigration plays a key role in Canada’s long-term prosperity  and we are committed to seeing newcomers succeed across the country. With our  provincial and territorial partners, we look forward to launching the  Expression of Interest system together next year. ”
Chris Alexander, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister

“Immigration, and selection through Provincial Nominee Programs, plays  an important role in building Canada's permanent workforce and in addressing  labour shortages and skill gaps across the country. Provinces and territories  will continue to work with the federal government towards developing an  Expression of Interest immigration system that is responsive to our regional  labour market needs.”
Thomas Lukaszuk, Alberta Minister for Jobs, Skills,  Training and Labour 

Related product

News release - Federal, Provincial and  Territorial Governments Envision Canada’s Future Immigration System  
Backgrounder - Joint  Federal-Provincial-Territorial Vision for Immigration  

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Contacts

Alexis Pavlich
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration  Canada
613-954-1064

Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca

Janice Schroeder
Minister’s  Office
Alberta Jobs,  Skills, Training and Labour
780-964-0528

Kim Misik
Communications  Branch
Alberta Jobs,  Skills, Training and Labour

780-644-1964