The federal government decision to hold immigration levels flat in the coming year reflects continuing concerns about the strength of the economic recovery, says Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.
Targets released Monday say the federal government intends to accept between 240,000 and 265,000 permanent residents next year, the same targets set for the current year.
"I think Canadians are generally supportive of immigration," Kenney told reporters Monday. "I don't, however, think they want to see huge increases beyond where we already are."
Kenney attributed the caution to the "fragile" economic recovery. "We're trying to reflect the fact that the economy is still somewhat soft," he told reporters after an appearance before the Commons immigration committee where he defended proposed new legislation to put "bogus" immigration consultants out of work.
Although the overall numbers remain the same for next year, there is a slight juggling of groups within those numbers.
The economic class of immigrants will still be the largest category, accounting for about 60 per cent of the total, but the actual number is estimated to drop by about 5,000.
This is to accommodate in part an expected climb of up to 3,000 from 2010 levels in the number of spouses and children who will be allowed to join economic class immigrants who have reached the stage next year when their families can join them in Canada.
Canada also is bumping up its intake of refugees by up to 3,000, an increase that reflects Ottawa's decision to accept more refugees from UN and other camps around the world.
Liberal Justin Trudeau, the party's immigration critic, said Canada should not raise immigration levels significantly until Canada does a better job of providing the services newcomers need to eliminate the current "success gap" that exists between Canadian-born residents and new immigrants.
New Democrat Olivia Chow said she is pleased the family category is getting a boost, but expressed concern that as many as 200,000 temporary workers will still be coming into the country next year. She said such high numbers are unacceptable when the jobless rate in Canada is more than eight per cent.
Kenney acknowledged that the possibility of more than 500,000 entering Canada next year as immigrants and temporary worker is a lot to absorb.
But he said the economy can handle the influx because it is in a "recovery phase." He also stressed the country is still experiencing labour shortages in some areas, and said that within the next five years, there is no growth projected in the homegrown labour force.
Speaking earlier in the day to a summit of 100 top employers in Canada, he urged them to be more aggressive in providing work experience to newcomers so they can get their foreign credentials recognized and upgraded.
"Our workforce will shrink without immigration and immigration will account for all our labour force growth within the next five years," he told his Toronto audience.
"If we don't begin to address the real barriers that prevent newcomers from entering their chosen profession in Canada, we actually risk a future where their current predicament could potentially have serious consequences for our country."
source: http://is.gd/gAMe6
Targets released Monday say the federal government intends to accept between 240,000 and 265,000 permanent residents next year, the same targets set for the current year.
"I think Canadians are generally supportive of immigration," Kenney told reporters Monday. "I don't, however, think they want to see huge increases beyond where we already are."
Kenney attributed the caution to the "fragile" economic recovery. "We're trying to reflect the fact that the economy is still somewhat soft," he told reporters after an appearance before the Commons immigration committee where he defended proposed new legislation to put "bogus" immigration consultants out of work.
Although the overall numbers remain the same for next year, there is a slight juggling of groups within those numbers.
The economic class of immigrants will still be the largest category, accounting for about 60 per cent of the total, but the actual number is estimated to drop by about 5,000.
This is to accommodate in part an expected climb of up to 3,000 from 2010 levels in the number of spouses and children who will be allowed to join economic class immigrants who have reached the stage next year when their families can join them in Canada.
Canada also is bumping up its intake of refugees by up to 3,000, an increase that reflects Ottawa's decision to accept more refugees from UN and other camps around the world.
Liberal Justin Trudeau, the party's immigration critic, said Canada should not raise immigration levels significantly until Canada does a better job of providing the services newcomers need to eliminate the current "success gap" that exists between Canadian-born residents and new immigrants.
New Democrat Olivia Chow said she is pleased the family category is getting a boost, but expressed concern that as many as 200,000 temporary workers will still be coming into the country next year. She said such high numbers are unacceptable when the jobless rate in Canada is more than eight per cent.
Kenney acknowledged that the possibility of more than 500,000 entering Canada next year as immigrants and temporary worker is a lot to absorb.
But he said the economy can handle the influx because it is in a "recovery phase." He also stressed the country is still experiencing labour shortages in some areas, and said that within the next five years, there is no growth projected in the homegrown labour force.
Speaking earlier in the day to a summit of 100 top employers in Canada, he urged them to be more aggressive in providing work experience to newcomers so they can get their foreign credentials recognized and upgraded.
"Our workforce will shrink without immigration and immigration will account for all our labour force growth within the next five years," he told his Toronto audience.
"If we don't begin to address the real barriers that prevent newcomers from entering their chosen profession in Canada, we actually risk a future where their current predicament could potentially have serious consequences for our country."
source: http://is.gd/gAMe6
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