Manitoba removes speedbumps to increase immigration
Province hopes to attract more skilled immigrants
By ROSS ROMANIUK, SUN MEDIA | Sept. 16, 2008
Manitoba can expect to pull in skilled immigrants at a faster pace because of speedbumps removed from a provincial government nominee program, Labour Minister Nancy Allan said today.
The nominee program has been streamlined through a removal of a licensing requirements list — a change aimed at allowing any skilled worker with Manitoba ties to apply to relocate to this province.
At the Philippine-Canadian Centre of Manitoba, Allan announced that the move means that every applicant to the Provincial Nominee Program is assessed purely on occupational merit and potential employability based mainly on training and experience.
Allan added that it’s hoped that the removal of the “barrier” will enable Manitoba to boost its immigration. Last year, the province saw nearly 11,000 new immigrants and their families. Also in 2007, the province’s population rose by more than 13,000 — its second-highest hike since the 1970s.
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