| Office of the Premier Dec. 8, 2011 VICTORIA - Premier Christy Clark announced today the creation of the B.C. Immigration Task Force to review key government programs in order to increase the number of skilled immigrants and investors in British Columbia. "We've laid out an ambitious plan to create jobs in the BC Jobs Plan and we will need skilled immigrants to help fill more than one million job openings expected over the next decade," said Premier Christy Clark. "The goal of this task force is to assess all of the immigration programs currently available to B.C., address their effectiveness and recommend ways to improve the current system so that British Columbia can successfully attract more skilled workers every year." The task force will be chaired by Richmond-Steveston MLA John Yap and will be made up of business and community leaders. The task force will examine the current system of economic immigration to Canada and B.C., including a review of: the Provincial Nominee Program, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Immigrant Investor Program. The task force will assess the outcomes and results of all the programs and explore opportunities through the New West Partnership to increase the federal government's responsiveness to immigration needs in Western Canada. Task force members will engage with employers, industry and sector associations, settlement service providers, community associations and other relevant groups. "The immigration task force is the first step in realizing our goal of a more efficient and effective immigration system," said Yap. "We know that people from all over the world with diverse skill sets and talents want to come to our province, and we want to do everything we can to bring them here so they can make British Columbia their new home." Work will start immediately and a final report to be made public will be submitted to the Premier by March 31, 2012. Learn More: Visit the BC Jobs Plan website: http://www.bcjobsplan.ca/ -30- Two backgrounders follow. Contacts: Chris Olsen Caroline McAndrews Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect BACKGROUNDER 1 Office of the Premier B.C. Immigration Task Force members The Task Force members are business and community leaders who understand Members confirmed to date are as follows: * John Yap, chair - Richmond-Steveston MLA Contact: Chris Olsen Caroline McAndrews Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect BACKGROUNDER 2 Office of the Premier B.C. Immigration Task Force mandate The Task Force will examine the current system of economic immigration to B.C. Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): Helps BC employers recruit or Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): Applicants are assessed based on Canadian Experience Class (CEC): Allows those with Canadian work Federal Immigrant Investor Program (FIIP): Seeks to attract experienced For more information about these and other programs, visit Welcome BC: Contact: Chris Olsen Caroline McAndrews Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect | |
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