As Chinese immigrants become one of the most sought out demographics in the world market, private and public stakeholders are upping their efforts to attract them to Canada.
British Columbia remains a top destination for Chinese immigrants, not only because of its proximity to Asia, but also due to its booming economy, quality of life and education opportunities.
Immigration experts, such as Bank of Montreal personal finance advisor Gina Li, are seeing this on a daily basis. Li, who is head of the Chinese portfolio at BMO, is based out of China and sees many high-income clients looking to immigrate to Canada – not only for themselves, but also for their children.
“If you look at the statistics, Forbes said last year that 44.6 per cent of Chinese international students chose North America as a destination,” said Li in a recent interview. “In our experience, Canada and B.C. is a big part of that, and I think B.C. should be very proud of its reputation among our high-end clients in China.”
Li notes that many of the business entrepreneurs interested in Canada, however, may not represent the skilled worker which has been the focus of most of the country’s immigration policies in recent years. Many top businessmen may not be able to speak English, and thus resettlement support and services are crucial in helping them migrate and integrate successfully.
The benefits of Chinese immigration to Canada are plentiful. Not only do they contribute economically, but they also usually bring with them investment dollars and connections to their homeland, one of the fastest growing economies in the world today.
Source: Calgary Herald
