Jan 9, 2018 – 2012 marked the year the Ontario government released its first-ever immigration strategy, which emphasized on a tri-fold set of objectives centered around attracting more skilled immigrants, ensuring integration of immigrants, and leveraging global connections of a diverse society.
Since then, the government has released an annual report detailing the progress achieved in the execution of its immigration strategy during the past year. The 2017 Progress Report highlights the achievements of the province’s Ministry of Citizenship.
A new Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement was finalized with three priority areas covering French-Speaking immigrants, Municipal immigration, and International Students immigration expected to be finalized in early 2018.
The Ontario Immigration Act which came into force on January 1, 2018 after a comprehensive stakeholder outreach to facilitate the ideal framework for regulation of immigration programs of the province.
Modernization of the OINP through creation of targeted streams designed to reflect Ontario’s labour market needs and transition to an online application process for the program.
Seven Minister’s Employers Tables, which are essentially discussion between the government and employers in the province, were held and the government received nine recommendations focusing on reducing barriers in the immigrant selection process, creation of a business advisory council, and improved labour market integration.
Steady increase in allocation of nominees to OINP from 1,300 nominees in 2013 and 5,500 in 2016 to 6,000 in 2017.
Processing of all OINP applications, except for Entrepreneur and Corporate stream applications that are assessed on a case-by-case basis, within 60 days from the date of application.
The Municipal Immigration Information Online program provides support to 32 local immigration portals to help immigrants at pre-arrival stage prepare for moving into a particular locality well in advance.
Home to the largest Francophone community, barring Quebec, in the country with around 625,000 Francophone citizens as per the 2016 Census, Ontario continues to focus on increasing immigration of such immigrants into the province including creation of a French-Speaking Skilled Workers stream under OINP.
Recognizing that a 1% increase in ethno-cultural diversity lead to average 2.4% increase in revenue and 0.5% increase in productivity, Ontario helped more than 5900 skilled new immigrants access bridge training projects and aided more than 4,400 such immigrants in finding employment in their field.
Source: 2017 Progress Report, Ontario
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