News Release from Ontario Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade
Photo from the Ministry
November 27, 2014
Newcomers’ Global Connections Boost Ontario’s Economy
Ontario is reintroducing it’s first-ever Immigration Act that would, if passed, assist the province in working with Ottawa to maximize the economic benefits of immigration.
Immigrants help grow a stronger economy by leveraging their networks and forging new global connections that will keep Ontario competitive in international markets.
Building on the government’s Immigration Strategy, the proposed Ontario Immigration Act would:
- Facilitate Ontario’s work with the federal government on the recruitment, selection and admission of skilled immigrants.
- Strengthen the province’s ongoing efforts to reduce fraud by protecting the integrity of our immigrant selection program and improve accountability.
- Increase transparency and information-sharing with our immigration partners.
The province will also redesign the Provincial Nominee Program to respond to expected increases in the federal government’s allocation of economic immigrants.
Maximizing Ontario’s immigration programs is part of the government’s economic plan for Ontario. The four-part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people’s talents and skills, building new public infrastructure like roads and transit, creating a dynamic, supportive environment where business thrives and building a secure savings plan so everyone can afford to retire.
QUICK FACTS
- Ontario remains the number one destination for newcomers to Canada, receiving more immigrants than the combined total of all the provinces and territories west of here.
- Newcomers make up 30 per cent of Ontario’s labour force.
- Over the next 25 years, immigration will account for all of the increases in Ontario’s working-age population and is expected to be a major source of future labour force growth.
- Federal decisions over the decade have reduced the proportion of economic immigrants coming to Ontario to 46 per cent, while other provinces on average receive 65 per cent (2013). In 2011, 97 per cent of Ontario’s provincial nominees remained in the province.
