Canadian Quebec to Postpone Goal to Raise Immigration Levels

As per Kathleen Weil--the incumbent Immigration Minister of Quebec--the province will retain its present immigration levels of 50,000 for the coming some years even while the opposition parties have reportedly claimed that the administration has made a U-turn on the issue.

During the month gone by, the Administration of Quebec proclaimed a proposal for a new immigration structure, termed ‘Together, We Are Quebec’, even as the regime proposed that the general levels of immigration could touch 60,000.

The plan (Law 77) became effective on April 6, 2016. The latest structure aims to react better to the continuing labour market requirements of the province, via implementing an Expression of Interest (EOI) model, whereby it will be mandatory for the individuals--keen to move to the province—to fill out an EOI, so that the regime can amass a bank of aspirants best suited to the specific requirements of the province. Aspirants are then to be sent an invite to submit an application, for the object of movement on a priority ground.

Transition period forms the basis of the decision of the regime to keep the levels of immigration closer to 50,000 for the present, instead of the 60,000 that was put forward during the previous month.

Significantly, Quebec has not rejected its original arrangement to increase immigration levels by roughly 20%. Rather, it is taking a more slow but sure approach than originally planned. Via the Canada-Quebec Accord, the province enjoys superior jurisdiction over immigration strategy, vis-à-vis other provinces of the nation.

Why a fresh arrangement?

In declaration of ‘Together, We Are Quebec’ last month, the administration stated these purposes:

• Get the most out of economic involvement by prioritizing aspirants, whose profiles fulfill labour market requirements, and who can make contribution to the strength of the French language;
• Cut down delays matching capable aspirants and in-demand work possibilities;
• Launch a flexible and vibrant structure that enables the regime to repeatedly adjust selection condition, invitation frequency, and the figure of applicants; and
• Enable the province to remain rather competitive with other nations that have launched comparable arrangements.

The administration reportedly declares that the online application procedure for those, keen to move to the province, will be fairly trouble-free, swift, and well-organized. It will enable the province to be competitive globally,

In its official manual to the latest plan, the administration of the province reportedly states that like several other societies, the province is facing major demographic change, including a delay in population rise, a decrease in the working-age people, and an aging populace. Minus productivity gains, these improvements will have serious effects on the province’s affluence. It is vital that action is taken presently with a view to lessen their effect.

It is not still clear when the latest structure will become operational.

In the period in-between, the well-kown Quebec Skilled Worker Programme (QSWP), the province’s flagship immigration scheme, is listed to have two additional petition intake time-frames on the basis of the present first-come, first-served mold.

• A maximum of 5,000 petitions will be accepted through the time-frame June 13 to June 20, 2016 even while this intake time will be confined to the roughly 41,000 applicants who had generated a Mon projet Québec account in the month of January this year. Mon projet Québec is not planned to become available for fresh registrations prior to the June intake time-frame.
• When this figure is hit, aspirants, who lack an account, may generate one with a view to the next intake time-frame. For the period of this second time-frame--the dates of which will be decided afterward--the Ministère will also accept 5,000 petitions.

The declaration that up to 5,000 petitions will be entertained in June, and an additional 5,000 at a later date, is expected to be well accepted by those who have formed an account in Mon projet Québec, since the preceding programmed allocation was fixed at 2,800 petitions to be admitted.