Preamble:   Manitoba continues to have one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada. 

For example, for January-February 2010 Manitoba’s unemployment rate was 5.4%, the second lowest unemployment rate among the provinces.

Initiatives are being undertaken by the provincial government, municipalities and private industry to emigrate workers from foreign countries to fill positions that would otherwise remain open due to a tight labour market. 

In many ways this approach is working. An estimated total of 13,101 immigrants made their new homes in Manitoba in 2009. This is well above the 10,902 who arrived in the previous 12-month period.  It is also the largest immigrant arrival since at least 1971. 

However, a number of immigrants are having difficulty getting consistent answers on the qualifications needed to work and become permanent residents in Manitoba.

There appears to be difficulty in getting consistent answers from Citizenship and Immigration and The Provincial Nominee program and this appears to be worse in the case of those parties trying to set up businesses in Manitoba. As a result these individuals are often having to return to their home country having expended a lot of dollars to meet the requirements and yet not achieving the goal that they were courted to come to Manitoba and Canada for. 

Resolution:   That Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Government of Manitoba provincial nominee program develop and administer clear and consistent guidelines that enable new immigrants to work and become permanent residents in the communities where there is a need for skilled labour. 

Resolution Report:  

The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce produces Resolution reports as part of its commitment to be accountable to its members. The reports are updated as matters unfold and have two components:

MCC Advocacy: Specific activities the MCC has done to help make this Resolution a reality. 

Developments:  All other information (e.g. government action, media coverage, reports) that relates to Resolution. 

Advice, comments, and information sharing are welcome; simply enter a reply at the bottom of this post.

MCC Advocacy: 

May 11, 2010: The 2010-2011 Resolutions were posted on the MCC website, listed as part of a comprehensive Report on AGM 2010 and then notice of this story was circulated through the MCC E-Update is sent to all MCC members, Media and Government.

June 16, 2010: Resolution books were sent to every MLA and every Member of Parliament that hails from Manitoba. The following had this Resolution specifically drawn to their attention with a detailed letter setting out the background to this issue, Government initiatives (where applicable), and an argument for the Resolution:

• The Minister of Labour and Immigration  

Developments:

August 24, 2010: The Honourable Jennifer Howard, Minister of Labour and Immigration, wrote to the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce on this matter. This is what she said:

“Our government has been working to increase labour market success for immigrants arriving in Manitoba during their first year of settlement. As part of this plan, Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program selects immigrants based on their ability to succeed in the labour market. Manitoba is also implementing new tools to assist Provincial Nominees to begin their settlement planning prior to arriving in Manitoba, details of which I look forward to sharing with you at the earliest opportunity. This includes work we are doing with Citizenship and Immigration Canada to provide more Manitoba specific information on the labour market and qualifications recognition procedures pre-arrival to prospective immigrants. The more informed and prepared immigrants are before they arrive, the more likely they are to succeed in Manitoba’s labour market.   

Upon arrival, our government is working to get immigrants employed in their fields sooner. This involves working with employment agencies to advise internationally skilled immigrants on their appropriate recognition pathway, as well as funding bridging programs to assist newcomers obtain jobs that match their qualifications. Some of the qualifications recognition projects we are currently funding include projects for childhood educators, bank and credit union workers, teachers, medical laboratory technologists and midwives. 

Furthermore, the Office of the Fairness Commissioner continues to work with regulatory bodies to improve their licensing procedures. Manitoba has also contributed to the development of the First Ministers’ Pan-Canadian Framework on Foreign Qualifications Recognition to improve the assessment and recognition pathways of internationally trained immigrants. 

Although there is more work to do, we are on the right track. For example, in 2009, Manitoba’s Provincial Nominees experienced the highest employment (82.6%) and the lowest unemployment rates (4.8%) in Canada. After 3-5 years, 83% of nominees continue to work in their fields or a related field.”