The premiers of Canada’s provinces and territories have been calling for more control over immigration for several years. They argue that the federal government’s current immigration system is not responsive to the needs of their provinces and territories.
One of the main concerns of the premiers is that the federal government’s immigration targets are not aligned with the economic needs of their provinces and territories. For example, the premiers of British Columbia and Alberta have argued that the federal government’s target of admitting 401,000 immigrants in 2022 is too low. They argue that their provinces need more immigrants to fill labour shortages in key sectors such as construction, healthcare, and technology.
The premiers also argue that the federal government’s immigration system is too slow and bureaucratic. They say that it can take years for immigrants to be approved for permanent residence, which makes it difficult for them to find jobs and contribute to the economy.
The premiers have proposed a number of changes to the federal government’s immigration system that would give them more control. For example, they have called for the federal government to give provinces and territories more flexibility in setting immigration targets, to streamline the immigration approval process, and to provide more funding for provincial and territorial immigration programs.
The federal government has so far resisted the premiers’ calls for more control over immigration. However, the premiers are likely to continue to press the federal government on this issue in the years to come.
Here are some additional things to keep in mind about the premiers’ desire for more control over immigration:
- The premiers’ calls for more control are not new. They have been making these calls for several years.
- The premiers are united in their desire for more control, but they have different priorities. For example, the premiers of British Columbia and Alberta are more focused on economic needs, while the premiers of Quebec and Nova Scotia are more focused on cultural and linguistic needs.
- The federal government is unlikely to give the premiers the level of control that they want. However, the federal government may be willing to make some concessions, such as giving provinces and territories more flexibility in setting immigration targets.
For more information: https://www.cicnews.com/2023/07/canadas-premiers-want-more-control-over-immigration-like-quebec-0736143.html#gs.2y6u7f