LANGUAGE TEST REQUIRED FOR SOME PROVINCIAL NOMINEES

Speaking in Saskatchewan, the Canadian Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities, Jason Kenney, stated that some applicants to Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) will be required to prove English or French language capabilities before submitting their immigration applications.

Beginning in July, PNP candidates applying to semi- and low-skilled jobs will be required to prove their proficiency in either French or English. “You can’t succeed in a society if you don’t have the capacity to communicate in it,” said Kenney, “and it’s unfair, I think, to newcomers to make them believe otherwise.” He elaborated on this point, stating that research suggests that language proficiency is key to successful integration of newcomers to Canada.

PNP programs have become increasingly important to provinces seeking to bring in targeted immigrants to bolster their economies and labour markets. Saskatchewan alone welcomed approximately 5,300 new immigrants through their PNP in 2010. These program changes are some of the many overhauls to the immigration system that the current government seeks to gradually implement in the future.

PROVINCIAL NOMINEE IMMIGRATION PROGRAMS ARE SUCCESSFUL:

Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs(PNPS) continue to be successful according to a new report released today by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

The CIC’s report evaluated immigrants admitted under a PNP between 2005 and 2009. One of its main focuses was the economic success of these immigrants, and it found that average incomes ranged between $35,200 and $45,100, with 70 percent of those surveyed holding a job in line with their skills.

“Clearly provincial nominees have strong economic outcomes and are making a positive contribution to Canada,” said Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

According to the report, PNPs are effective in helping spread the benefits of immigration across the country, which was the original raison d’être of their creation. The report quantifies that by stating that today 26 percent of all economic immigrants are destined for provinces other than Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec, compared to 11 percent in 1997.

The report did have some suggestions for improvement, including:

• Recommended minimum language requirements.
• Closer correlations between eligible occupations and local labour market needs.
• Better coordination between provincial and federal bodies when processing PNP applications to prevent fraud.
• Encouragement of the development of official language minority communities through alterations to the respective PNPs.