CANADIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

Canada Seeks to Attract More Mexican Workers

Monday, 20 August 2007

Among the goals of next week’s summit of North American leaders in Quebec is an agreement to work toward increased labour mobility between Canada, the United States ad Mexico.

12,000 agricultural workers currently migrate from Mexico to Canada for seasonal work at higher Canadian wages. Citizenship and Immigration Canada is currently seeking to expand the Seasonal Agricultural Visa Program in order to meet labour demand. In addition, the idea has been floated to add energy workers to the program in order to meet the ever-present labour shortage in resource-rich Alberta.

The program is intended to ensure that Mexican workers are granted fair access to Canada’s immigration and work permit system and are able to fill labour shortages in Canada. The program will also take Canada’s security into account.