Ontario is set to double the number of economic migrants welcomed into the province of Ontario as part of an agreement with the federal government to boost the Immigrant Nomination Program.
Federal and provincial immigration ministers are announcing today that by 2025 there will be more than 18,000 spots in the province under the program.
Ontario Minister of Labor and Immigration Monte McNaughton called for a doubling in 2021 when the province is allowed to bring in 9,000 people under that program.
The new agreement will see Ontario welcome 9,750 immigrants under the program in 2022, 16,500 in 2023, more than 17,000 in 2024 and more than 18,000 in 2025.
The Ford government says those brought in through last year’s allotment included 3,900 skilled trades workers, 2,200 software and IT workers, 1,000 truck drivers and more than 100 nurses and personal support workers.
McNaughton says the health care workforce in particular will see drastic changes.
“It’s no secret that we are facing a historic labor shortage,” he said in an interview.
“I’m going to prioritize health care workers and skilled trade workers as the two groups we’re going to really work to recruit in Ontario to meet the labor shortage.”
McNaughton said Ontario has already taken measures to prepare for an expected influx under the program, including removing Canadian work experience requirements, giving newcomers greater access to training programs and processing applications on average within 90 days. Involves working to get approved.
“It’s about making sure we have all hands on deck to meet labor shortages, prepare people for success and grow our economy.”
Federal Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said this year’s annual immigration leveling plan was “the most ambitious” in Canadian history.
“There is a need to attract talent that will meet the demands of the labor market in the short term and to position Canada for success in the long term,” he said in a statement.
“This increase will help ensure Ontario’s growth in key sectors such as housing and health care, while distributing the benefits of immigration to every region of the country.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 18, 2023.