Desperate for Skilled Workers

Canada is in dire need of skilled migrants, but its snarled up immigration application system is punishing the skilled workers it desperately needs, reports Maclean's magazine. It is estimated 500,000 skilled workers are held up in the visa application backlog. Many of these have work experience in occupations that the government says are needed, such as construction or nursing. Although Canada has the fastest growing population in the G8 group of countries, Statistics Canada estimates future population growth will depend solely on immigration by 2030. The Conservative government promised to fix the long waiting times during its election campaign. But "if there's one portfolio the government has consistently bungled, it is immigration", reports Maclean's.

Half of all Canadian visa applications for skilled migrants take 55 months to be processed. Some take as many as 74 months. That's over six years. These statistics emphasise the advisability of obtaining professional advice if you want to apply for a Canadian visa. The Canadian Visa Bureau can assist skilled workers interested in Canadian immigration. More information on Canadian visas is available on the Canadian Visa Bureau's skilled migration pages. Anyone applying for a Canadian visa should begin by completing the Canadian Visa Bureau's online Canadian visa application to see if they meet the legislative requirements.