Despite exceeding immigration targets and expecting an influx of skilled tradespeople, Canada's construction industry continues to lose thousands of jobs.
In July, the sector saw a 2.8% drop, with 45,000 jobs lost. This trend is increasing, with construction experiencing more job losses than other major sectors.
The problem is worsened by an upcoming wave of retirements and a housing shortage of millions. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.
forecasts 3.5 million more homes to be built by 2030, but the number of new homes is declining.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller believes new immigrants are necessary to solve the housing crisis and intends to maintain or increase immigration targets.
#Labour_shortage, #construction, #housing, #skilled_trades
August 17, 2023
A study by the Northern Policy Institute found that last year, the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) helped boost Thunder Bay's economy beyond simply assisting foreign nationals in finding jobs and settling into their communities.
The program offered 229 jobs to its applicants, generated 92 other jobs in the local economy, and a total of $11.6 million in wages.
The RNIP is growing at a fast pace, welcoming 1,425 foreign nationals to gain permanent residence in Canada in the first half of 2023.
The program's effectiveness has led Ottawa to increase the number of foreign nationals allowed to immigrate to some of the communities in the program.
The RNIP aims to recruit skilled immigrants to work in smaller communities with aging populations and labour shortages through the five-year program, which is expected to become a permanent immigration program soon.
#RNIP, #Thunder_Bay, #rural_immigration, #foreign_workers
https://gotothunderbay.ca/why-thunder-bay/rural-and-northern-immigration-pilot/
August 17, 2023
The Immigration Minister of Canada, Marc Miller, has expressed concern regarding Quebec's family reunification policy.
Quebec has significant control over its immigration policy, including family reunification, currently limited to 10,000.
With a backlog of 30,000 families waiting to come to Canada, Quebec aims to reduce these numbers. The Plan d'immigration du Québec 2023 reflects Quebec's strict immigration policy, targeting 49,500 to 52,500 new permanent residents, which deviates from business groups' proposal to increase immigration levels for labour shortages.
Despite the Federal Government's plan to bring 465,000 newcomers to Canada in 2023, Quebec aims to bring in only half its available number.
Furthermore, most of Quebec's immigrants are Francophone, which restricts the number of incoming immigrants.
#Quebec, #Miller, #family_reunification, #sponsorship
August 17, 2023
On August 11, 2023, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Marc Miller, announced the tax-free First Home Savings Account for Canadians, aimed at helping first-time home buyers.
The account allows Canadians to contribute up to $8,000 per year (up to a lifetime limit of $40,000) for their first down payment within 15 years.
Contributions are tax-deductible, and withdrawals, including investment income, are non-taxable if used to purchase a first home.
Since April 1, 2023, seven financial institutions have already started offering the account, with more to follow.
#IRCC, #Miller, #housing, #First_Home_Savings_Account
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/minister-miller-highlights-tax-free-151700838.html
August 17, 2023
