FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Following yesterday’s announcement from the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship on 2026 Express Entry categories, Daniel Bernhard, CEO of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship made the following statement:
This announcement reveals a deeply confused talent policy that will cost the Canadian economy dearly.
On one hand, Ottawa is acknowledging that the Canadian economy has serious skills needs that aren’t being met domestically. On the other hand, it is reducing the number of available immigration spots substantially. Yesterday’s announcement amounts to splitting a shrinking pie into many more pieces. That is not a strategy. That is the appearance of action. A policy with so many stated priorities, it actually has none.
There should be no need for these boutique immigration categories. A well-functioning Express Entry System would already be elevating candidates with the most in-demand skills to the top of the pile. Existing boutique programs have not worked as intended. The #1 profession selected in the Skilled Trades stream is cooks, and these draws occur very infrequently.
The chronic issue of licensing discrimination will also hobble this policy. Ottawa can admit as many doctors, pilots and mechanics as they like, but how can they contribute to Canada if our regulatory bodies don’t let them work the jobs we brought them here to fill?
Besides, recent research has shown that skilled immigrants are giving up on Canada at record rates, with in-demand professionals most likely to leave. Immigrant professionals can’t contribute to Canada if they’re gone. Yesterday’s policy ignores this essential reality and offers nothing to boost retention.
Instead of adding even more complexity onto a slow, expensive, and poorly performing immigration system, the Immigration Minister would do well to sit down with a blank piece of paper to design a quick, scalable, and manageable system for attracting global talent to Canada and putting that talent to good use immediately.
The Minister’s announcement draws attention to a foundational weakness of Canada’s immigration policy – by making it worse.
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About the ICC
The Institute for Canadian Citizenship is a national charity that works for a Canada where immigrants don’t just come, but stay, become citizens, succeed, and make Canada stronger, richer, and more interesting.
The ICC’s Canoo app gives newcomers and their families free access to Canada’s most sought-after experiences as well as the tools they need to help call Canada home. Since 2010, Canoo has welcomed over 950,000 newcomer members. All recent permanent residents and new citizens can join Canoo for free by downloading the app. For more about the app and the growing list of benefits for Canoo members, please visit https://canoo.ca/.
Media Contacts
ICC / Canoo: media@forcitizenship.ca
Following today’s joint announcement from the Prime Minister of Canada and his Minister of Immigration, Daniel Bernhard, CEO of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, made the following statement:
“This drastic reduction in immigration levels will create more problems than it solves.
A decrease of 105,000 permanent residents represents less than 0.25% of the population. This measure will not cool the housing market. Instead, Canadians will feel the absence of 105,000 fewer workers—workers who could build more housing, staff more daycare spaces, and reduce healthcare wait times. These needs will only grow as immigration declines.
It is misleading to say that we have too many immigrants for our housing and healthcare systems to handle. The truth is, we don’t have enough housing and healthcare capacity to support all the immigrants Canada needs to grow and prosper.
We cannot slow our way to success. We can only grow our way to success.
Immigration is not the cause of Canada’s challenges. While we understand the government’s desire to restore public confidence in the immigration system, we hope today’s announcement does not lead anyone to believe that the solution to slow growth is to grow more slowly.”
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Media Contact
Alex Nanoff
alex@liaisonstrategies.ca
media@forcitizenship.ca
+1 613 709 6318
TORONTO, January 23, 2019—Thirty years after immigrating to Canada at the age of 15, Yasir Naqvi has been named CEO of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC). Pro-democracy advocates, Yasir’s family emigrated from Pakistan to Canada in 1988. Inspired by his parents, Yasir spent the past 11 years serving as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing a diverse community in Ottawa. In 2016, he was sworn in as the Attorney General of Ontario. Educated at McMaster University, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, and Carleton University, Yasir was called to the Bar in Ontario in 2001 and went on to practise international trade and administrative law with major law firms.
Yasir has marked our idea of citizenship in multiple ways. While Attorney General of Ontario, he implemented the All Families Are Equal Actto ensure that all children are treated equally, regardless of how they are conceived, and recognize the legal status of all parents. He also championed new laws to prevent sexual violence and help survivors, increase respect for the rights and cultures of Indigenous peoples, expand access to restorative justice, and promote multiculturalism.
The ICC is Canada’s leading citizenship organization and the world’s foremost voice on citizenship and inclusion. Its national grassroots programs include the Cultural Access Pass, the only program of its kind in the world, and Building Citizenship, which organizes its acclaimed community citizenship ceremonies. Its cutting-edge Ideas & Insights program is redefining how we talk about diversity and belonging. The ICC is the convenor of 6 Degrees, an international conversation on immigration, refugees, diversity, and citizenship. Based in Toronto, 6 Degrees has taken place in cities across Canada, as well as in The Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland. 6 Degrees now has its European hub in Berlin, will soon be taking place in Mexico City, and will be back in Calgary on March 14, 2019.
Adrienne Clarkson, Co-Chair of the ICC:
“Yasir Naqvi’s powerful and moving story, and his engagement as a Canadian citizen, are a dynamic representation of what the ICC stands for—citizenship, diversity and belonging.”
John Ralston Saul, Co-Chair of the ICC:
“Yasir Naqvi’s passion for strengthening the wellbeing of citizens makes him a perfect match for the mission of the ICC, not only in Canada, but around the world.”
Yasir Naqvi, CEO of the ICC:
“I know firsthand that citizenship is far more than where you were born, as it is shaped by our communities and values. That is why I am proud to join the ICC to lead their drive to promote diversity and inclusion across Canada and around the world. I am looking forward to taking part in events and meeting new citizens and friends of the ICC across the country as quickly as possible, starting with upcoming citizenship ceremonies in Alberta, Quebec, and Ontario.”
About the Institute for Canadian Citizenship
Powered by a passionate and committed national network, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) is an independent civil society organization co-founded by The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul. The ICC delivers programs and special projects that inspire Canadians to be inclusive, create opportunities to connect, and encourage active citizenship. The Cultural Access Pass is unique in the world, offering new citizens free access to more than 1400 cultural attractions during their first year of citizenship. Partnering with community volunteers and iconic cultural institutions, the ICC celebrates new Canadian citizens at more than 75 community citizenship ceremonies each year. Ideas & Insights is a leading source of research on citizenship and inclusion—social, cultural, political, and economic. 6 Degrees extends the reach of the ICC’s work through a global conversation on inclusion and belonging in the 21st century. www.forcitizenship.ca
