Canada: Quebec province plans to attract more immigrants who know the French language
New Delhi: In the flow of foreign skilled workers’ immigration in Canada – the province located in the north – Quebec is planning to attract immigrants who know the french language. An immigrant-friendly country Canada – is working tremendously to attract skilled workers from foreign to fulfill its need in various sectors – including the IT and labor sectors.
Quebec plans to take in more than 71,000 permanent residents in 2022 after immigration numbers fell to 25,225 in 2020 due to the pandemic.
According to a media report, the Canadian province of Quebec is desperate for immigrants to fill in jobs. The government previously lowered the number of new permanent residents it brings in, relying more on temporary workers, and says it has increased the francophone share of economic immigrants.
Quebec’s Premier Francois Legault’s Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) is determined to protect the French, which he says is vulnerable in mostly English-speaking North America.
Legault campaigns on attracting more francophones, but some business owners warn the move could put off immigrants with critical skills. Quebec has Canada’s second-highest job vacancy rate among provinces.
According to Statistics Canada data from the fourth quarter of 2021, Quebec accounts for almost 40% of Canada’s estimated 81,000 vacant manufacturing positions. Manufacturing accounted for 12.6% of Quebec’s gross domestic product in 2021 – higher than any other sector.
Quebec also risks losing newcomers to other Canadian regions. About 16.3% of immigrants who came to Quebec in 2009 had left for other provinces by 2019, nearly double that of Ontario, according to Statistics Canada data.
(Vinayak)
