The Government of Ontario announced it is doubling the number of economic immigrants it selects in 2025 to over 18,000 to help solve the province’s critical labour shortage.
“From 9,000 immigration spots in 2021 to over 18,000 in 2025, today’s announcement is a significant win for the people of Ontario and will help us control our economic destiny by selecting more of the skilled immigrants we know are well-placed to succeed and build stronger communities for all of us,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “On behalf of Premier Ford and the people of Ontario, I want to thank Minister Fraser and the federal government for their commitment to meet us at the table and land this historic immigration increase.”
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program allows the province to nominate individuals for permanent residence who have the skills and experience to contribute to Ontario’s economy.
“As we remain focused on addressing the acute labour market shortages and building a strong economy into the future, one thing remains certain: immigration is a key part of the solution,” said Sean Fraser, Federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. “As Canada’s flagship regional economic immigration program, the Provincial Nominee Program’s increasing growth will support the long-term well-being of communities in Ontario. I am grateful for the outstanding working relationship I have with Minister McNaughton and look forward to continuing to work with the province to achieve our shared economic immigration objectives.”
“The history of residential construction is immigration. For decades, immigrants have developed our communities, supported our economy, and made Ontario what it is today. RESCON commends the provincial and federal governments for increasing the number of immigrants to Ontario through the Provincial Nomination Program. This will help fill critical labour shortages in the construction and reduce barriers for immigrants to gaining employment and making a living in Ontario. ” said Andrew Pariser, vice president, Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON).
In 2023, Ontario will be able to nominate 16,500 immigrants. Ontario’s 2023 allocation represents 36 per cent of the national allocation of provincial nominees.
“Ellisdon applauds the efforts of Minister McNaughton and the Government of Ontario to fight for immigration to be tailored to the nuanced needs of the labour market. We know first-hand the challenges that the labour shortage poses to businesses and Ontario’s global competitiveness; this is a much needed step in the right-direction to addressing that,” said Geoffrey Smith, president, Ellisdon.
“The Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO) is delighted by the collaboration between Minister McNaughton and Minister Fraser to deliver for the people of this province,” said RCCAO executive director Nadia Todorova. “This multi-year agreement provides a predictable pathway for industry to be able to plan and scale activity to build the future of Ontario.”
Featured image: (Government of Ontario)
