It might violate our national modesty policy to add that we’re now also one of the most desirable, but the data’s there: in 2022, we welcomed close to a million newcomers (a record) and, a year prior, unseated the U.S. as the number-one destination for international workers. People want to come to Canada, and Canada really wants them here.
In June, staring down the ongoing labour shortage, the federal government announced a revamped federal express entry system, complete with shiny new expedited pathways to permanent residency for U.S. H-1B visa holders and immigrants with sought-aer expertise in fields like health care, tech and, crucially, the trades. The man responsible for delivering on the government’s ambitious target—500,000 annually by 2025—is Sean Fraser, minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship.
Fraser, a trained lawyer and loyal Nova Scotian, spent his whole life watching talent flee his home province for more promising opportunities elsewhere. Even as his office faces a backlog 800,000 applications deep—and newly urgent questions about Canada’s livability, thanks in part to our bonkers housing market—Fraser remains convinced that this is the place to be.
According to Statistics Canada’s “population clock,” Canada hit 40 million people just before 3 p.m. EST on Friday, June 16. Where were you when you heard the news?
I think I saw it on social media at some point; I wasn’t tracking it. My mind is on whether people get reunited with families and whether businesses can access workers.
So no plaque? No balloons?
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 2023 من Maclean's.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 2023 من Maclean's.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
A Teacher's Tale
My career in Quebec ended because I chose to keep my hijab
Top Marks
InSaguenay, Quebec, Ecole de l'Etincelle embodies the school of the future
Modernize Parental Leave
Canada's birth rate is dropping, and the cost of living is partly to blame. A more supportive leave plan would make parenthood more affordable
"I spent years trying to learn English.Now I use ChatGPT."
AI isn't perfect, but it helps me write complex emails and understand Canadian culture
MY PREDICTION - The National School Food Program Will Transform Kids' Health
When students have access to nutritious food, they do better in school and life
FOOD
The exorbitant cost of food will have ripple effects on the restaurant industry and grocery stores. The good news? There's a plan to save the country's salmon supply.
MY PREDICTION - New Mortgage Rules Will Drive Up Housing Prices
Looser lending policies will encourage more people to buy homes they can't afford in the first place
HOUSING
Politicians will spar over how to tackle the housing crisis. Falling interest rates will draw young people into the real estate market. And a rude awakening is coming for homeowners renewing mortgages.
MY PREDICTION - Stuctured Literacy Will Help Level the Educational Playing Field
Canadian students have struggled to read and write. That stops this year.
EDUCATION
Quebec's classrooms will take centre stage in the secularism debate. Chatbots will help students create A-plus work, while others will grade themselves. And thousands of international students will be sent home.
