Ontario is Welcoming Skilled Workers

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has announced a $25 million program aimed at attracting more skilled immigrants to the province over the next three years. The funds will be used to double the number of skilled immigrants and speed up processing times for the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program. This program enables the province to nominate individuals for permanent residence and will prioritize skilled trades and healthcare workers. The announcement is in response to the ongoing labor shortage in Ontario, which has left hundreds of thousands of jobs unfilled every day.

In addition to the $25 million program, the province has also set a historic high of 18,000 economic immigrants to be selected by 2025. The province and the federal government jointly made this announcement earlier this month, with Ford thanking the federal government for its cooperation.

Ford also highlighted the recent Working for Workers Act 3, which aims to remove barriers for internationally trained professionals in regulated professions, as a part of the government’s broader plan to attract more immigrants to the province. The Act introduced measures to facilitate the integration of skilled immigrants into the workforce, which has been a challenge for many immigrants in the past.

During the press conference, Ford emphasized that Ontario has numerous job opportunities, while the world has the talent, and the program’s goal is to bridge the gap between the two. Clarence Walters, the manager of mechanical systems at Pearson Airport, also shared his experience as an immigrant in 1987, highlighting the challenges he faced in finding work in his profession initially. He expressed hope that the funding would help new immigrants find meaningful employment in their field sooner.

Prabhnoor Kaur